ANKARA, Nov 26 — The Palestinian group Hamas handed over 13 Israeli captives held in Gaza at midnight Saturday to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of a prisoner swap deal with Israel.
“In the frame of the humanitarian pause, the Al-Qassam Brigades handed over 13 Israelis to the Red Cross,” Anadolu Agency (AA) quoted the group as saying in a statement.
It said four foreigners were also released and handed to the ICRC.
Meanwhile, the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari confirmed that 13 Israelis and four foreigners were handed to the Red Cross.
The Palestinian side is waiting for Israeli authorities to release 39 Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails as part of the prisoner swap deal.
Israel and Hamas swapped 24 Israelis and foreigners for 39 Palestinians from Israeli jails on Friday, the first day of the four-day humanitarian pause, by which the second batch of prisoners are to be completed.
Under the agreement, the hostages and prisoners will be released in batches during the course of four days.
