November 24, 2023 Israel-Hamas war

Helicopters carrying released hostages have been arriving at medical centers in Israel.

CNN previously reported four helicopters had departed Israel's Hatzerim Air Base near Beersheva on Friday. They were expected to fly to various hospitals in the Tel Aviv area.

So far, two helicopters have arrived at Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, which is near Tel Aviv. 

Three more Israeli hostages also arrived by helicopter at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, south of Tel Aviv, a hospital spokesperson told CNN. They were then transferred by ambulance to the hospital for evaluation and treatment.

The newly arrived hostages have been taken into the hospital and are now undergoing medical checks and evaluations, a hospital spokesperson said.

Two other hostages had arrived at the Wolfson Medical Center several hours earlier in the evening by ambulance.

All five hostages being treated at the hospital are elderly women.

This post has been updated with the latest information about the arrivals at Wolfson Medical Center.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Friday it facilitated the transfer of 33 Palestinian prisoners, released as part of the Israel-Hamas truce deal, from an Israeli prison to the West Bank.

In total, 39 Palestinian women and minors were released from three prisons — Damon, Megiddo and Ofer – on Friday, according to the Israeli prison service. 

Four helicopters carrying released hostages have departed Israel's Hatzerim Air Base near Beersheva.

Of the 24 that were freed Friday, 22 were initially taken to Hatzerim and are expected to be flown to hospitals in the Tel Aviv area.

The other two hostages released Friday by Hamas have already been taken to the Wolfson Medical Center in the city of Holon, south of Tel Aviv, a hospital spokesperson told CNN.

CNN’s Sarina Rofé and Joseph Ataman contributed reporting to this post

The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland welcomed the implementation of the hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas.

"I also welcome the release of a number of foreign workers held in Gaza. I look forward to additional releases expected over the coming days," Wennesland added.

Israel and Hamas reached a deal for a four-day pause in fighting and the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza that began on Friday. The Israel Prison Service announced on Friday night that 39 Palestinian prisoners were released as part of the hostage agreement

Wennesland said the pause in fighting "went into effect with relative calm, allowing truckloads of aid to go into Gaza."

"These developments are a significant humanitarian breakthrough that we need to build on," according to Wennesland.

Earlier Friday, the UN said 137 trucks of humanitarian aid were driven into the Gaza Strip, marking the largest aid convoy that has moved into the enclave since October 7. 

Wennesland also called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas and others in Gaza.

Twenty-four people held hostage for nearly seven weeks in the Gaza Strip were released Friday as part of a truce brokered between Israel and Hamas, according to officials.

The group includes 10 Thai citizens, 13 Israelis and one Filipino citizen, according to Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari. They are now in Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said Friday. 

In addition, 39 Palestinian women and teenagers were freed from Israeli jails and were on their way to the West Bank.

A total of 50 hostages could be freed over the four-day pause in flighting, while Palestinian prisoners are also due to be released in waves. 

The pause and releases followed weeks of tense negotiations – and took several agonizing days to come into effect. The agreement represents the first major diplomatic breakthrough in the conflict.

Here's what else you know about today's developments:

The Israeli military is warning that the implementation of the hostage release agreement will be complicated and "nothing is over until it’s over."  

"The days ahead of us will be complicated, nothing is over until it’s over. We should be prepared," Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Friday.

He said the 24 hostages freed from Gaza, including 13 Israeli citizens, is "a great relief," but "our hearts are with the hostages that are still being held in Gaza."

The agreement, accompanied by a four-day truce between Hamas and Israel that began on Friday morning, represents the first major diplomatic breakthrough in the conflict.

Asked about the possibility that senior Hamas officials might attempt to flee Gaza during the truce, Hagari said, "We’re monitoring everything necessary, and are monitoring senior Hamas officials, in Gaza and anywhere in the world."

President Joe Biden said we can be thankful for the families being “reunited with loved ones” following the initial group of hostages released as a part of a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas.

“This morning I've been engaged with my team as we began the first difficult days of implementing this deal. It's only a start, but so far it's gone well,” Biden said in remarks Friday.

The released hostages  include 13 Israelis, 10 Thai citizens and 1 Filipino citizen, according to Qatar's foreign ministry. A total of 50 hostages could be freed over the four-day pause in flighting, while Palestinian prisoners are also due to be released in waves. 

Biden said over the next few days, they expect dozens of hostages will be returned to their families. "We also remember all those who are still being held and renew our commitment to work for their release as well,” he said.

“All of these hostages have been through a terrible ordeal, and this is the beginning of a long journey of healing for them,” Biden said. “The teddy bears waiting to greet those children at the hospital are a stark reminder of the trauma these children have been through and at such a very young age.”

Biden said Hamas “unleashed this terrorist attack because they fear nothing more than Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace.”

“As we look to the future, we have to end this cycle of violence in the Middle East. We need to renew our resolve to pursue this two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can one day live side by side in a two-state solution with equal measure of freedom and dignity,” Biden said. 

Two of the hostages freed from Gaza today have arrived at the Wolfson Medical Center in the Israeli city of Holon, which is south of Tel Aviv, a hospital spokesperson confirmed to CNN.

Hagai Levine, head of the medical team of the hostage families association, told journalists he had spoken to some of the freed hostages on the phone and that some of them have gastroenteritis.

He added that their recovery from weeks in captivity would likely take time, also stressing the importance of their reunions with their families.

The other hostages who were freed today remain at the Hatzerim Airbase near Beersheva, according to Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari. They are expected to be flown to hospitals in the Tel Aviv area, he added.

The 11 foreign nationals who were released alongside the Israeli hostages on Friday have also returned to Israel, the Israeli military said.

CNN previously reported that the hostages released on Friday include 13 Israelis, 10 Thai citizens and 1 Filipino citizen, according to the Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

"The foreign nationals will meet their countries’ representatives at the Hatzerim Airbase, and will be transferred to the hospitals as well," Hagari said.