Hamas releases third group of hostages as part of truce

Hamas releases third group of hostages as part of truce

Exchange of second batch of hostages, put off by Hamas initially, comes through; extremist group says one of its top commanders has been killed; four-year-old U.S. girl expected to be released.

Hamas militants on Sunday freed 17 more hostages, including 14 Israelis, in a third set of releases under a cease-fire deal. Red Cross representatives transferred the hostages out of Gaza late on Sunday.

Israel’s prison service said 39 Palestinian detainees were released on Sunday.

It was the third consecutive day in which Hamas released Israeli hostages it has been holding in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. A fourth exchange is expected to take place on Monday — the last day of the four-day cease-fire between the enemies. A total of 50 hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners are to be freed.

Israel declared war on Hamas after the Islamic extremist group carried out a cross-border attack on October 7 that killed some 1,200 people and took 240 people hostages. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has left over 13,300 people dead.

In a separate development, Hamas said that one of its top commanders had been killed, without saying when or how.

The second exchange was delayed for hours on Saturday after Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement However, Hamas later released 13 Israelis and four Thais, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. had “reason to believe” that an American hostage would be released on Sunday and said there were hopes it would be Abigail Edan, the 4-year-old girl who lost her parents in the Hamas attack on October 7. Sullivan also said that U.S. President Joe Biden would speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later on Sunday.