Several children were among 13 Israeli hostages released from Gaza on Saturday night after a tense standoff in which Hamas threatened to terminate the prisoner exchange.
At least 50 hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 were expected to be released over the course of a four-day ceasefire negotiated by Qatar. Twenty-four captives were released from Gaza Friday, along with more than three dozen Palestinian prisoners. Thirteen Israeli hostages and four foreign hostages were released Saturday, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry.
Hamas’ militant arm had abruptly derailed the exchange Saturday afternoon, claiming Israel failed to deliver the promised number of aid trucks to northern Gaza. “The release of the second round of hostages to be delayed until Israel commits to the terms of the agreement,” the group said in a televised statement.
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An Israeli official told NPR, “Israel did not violate the agreement.”
The announcement set off whirlwind talks between the U.S., Israel, Egypt and Qatar to try to salvage the deal. A Qatari spokesperson announced late Saturday night that the disagreement had been “overcome through Qatari-Egyptian communications with both sides.”
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson confirmed the exchange was back on and added that President Joe Biden spoke with Qatari leaders to help resolve the dispute.
Among the 13 Israelis released were 9-year-old Emily Hend, and 12-year-old Hila Rotem, according to Haaretz. Others included a pair of teenage siblings, and a mother and her 12-year-old child.
Israel was also expected to release 39 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Schneider Medical Center released video Saturday of a 9-year-old Israeli child and his family who were reunited in the first round of prisoner exchanges Friday. The video shows the child, Ohad Munder, running down a corridor into the arms of his father, who scoops him up and spins him around.
Behind the child is his mother, 55-year-old Keren Munder, and his grandmother, 78-year-old Ruti Munder, who were also greeted with hugs. His grandfather, Avraham Munder, has not been released.
Munder, who loves solving Rubik’s cubes, turned 9 while being held in Gaza, and Israelis held events across the country to celebrate the day, according to the Times of Israel. The hospital also released photos of him solving a Rubik’s cube as Israel Defense Forces soldiers looked on.
“I’m waiting to see Ohad and can’t wait to give him his Rubik’s cube which I know he really loved and he probably missed it so much,” his cousin, Roni Haviv, told Reuters as she watched videos of the release.
Other hostages released Friday included two Israeli sisters, ages 2 and 4, as well as an Israeli 5-year-old girl and her mother, according to Reuters. Ten Thai nationals and one Filipino were also released Friday.
More than three dozen Palestinian prisoners, including 24 women and 15 teenagers, were also released into the West Bank Friday, to a cheering crowd outside Jerusalem. Israel is expected to release 150 Palestinian prisoners over the course of the ceasefire, and has offered to extend the truce one day for every 10 additional Israeli hostages released.
The Israeli government ordered Palestinian celebrations over the release of the hostages—which included fireworks and pop music—to be shut down, according to the Associated Press. At one point, security forces released tear gas into the crowd.
“The army is trying to take this moment away from us but they can’t,” Mays Foqaha, who was there to celebrate the release of her 18-year-old friend, told the AP. ”This is our day of victory.”
