Biden hopes Israel-Hamas ceasefire will last longer than four days, more hostages released each day

A day after swapping of hostages between Israel and Hamas began, US President Joe Biden said that he hopes the four-day Gaza ceasefire will last longer. Biden said more hostages are to be released on Saturday and more the day after, and more the day after that. Hostages freed by Hamas included 13 Israelis, 10 people from Thailand and one from the Philippines. In return, Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison.

Nantucket (United States) : US President Joe Biden said that he believes putting conditions on military aid to Israel is a "worthwhile thought", and he hopes the Gaza ceasefire will last longer than four days. Speaking to reporters from Nantucket, Massachusetts, Biden said he was encouraged by the release of some of the hostages and hopes for more.

"We expect more hostages to be released tomorrow, and more the day after, and more the day after that," he said. The freed hostages included 13 Israelis, 10 people from Thailand and one from the Philippines, according to Qatar, which was instrumental in brokering the deal to stop fighting. In return, Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison.

Biden said that conditioning military aid to Israel was a "worthwhile thought, but I don't think if I started off with that we would have ever gotten where we are today". He didn't give any examples of possible conditions.

In Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the release of hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 raid into Israel, including 13 Israeli citizens, but said his government is committed to the return of all hostages. About 240 people were taken in the attack. Netanyahu described each of the hostages released as a four-day cease-fire began as “a world of their own.” He said getting back all the hostages “is one of the goals of the war and we are committed to achieving all of the goals of the war.”

Outside Ofer Prison, West Bank, Israeli security forces fired volleys of tear gas at thousands of Palestinians from all over the West Bank excitedly awaiting the release of 39 Palestinians in exchange for the hostages released by Hamas from Gaza. Crowds waited for hours outside Israel’s Ofer Prison in the West Bank for the Palestinians to emerge.

Shortly after some raucous boys surged through the crowds with Hamas flags, Israeli forces unleashed tear gas, sending families bolting in the opposite direction, screaming, coughing and covering their watery, bloodshot eyes with their shirts.

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