17 hostages have been released, including an Irish-Israeli girl, Emily Hand, as part of a hostage-prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel. The release also included four Thai nationals held hostage in the Gaza Strip. Alongside Emily Hand, 39 Palestinians were released under the agreement. While Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister, Michael Martin, praised the release of “a precious and deeply moving moment for the Hand family,” he also noted that “many more hostages remain in the hands of Hamas.”
Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar expressed his relief, saying “prayers had been answered,” commenting that “an innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief.” Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald welcomed the news of the release, calling for all hostages to be released urgently and for an immediate cessation of fire to be brought into force. She commended the mediators involved for securing the release of hostages, including Palestinian women and children who were imprisoned under administrative detention.
The hostages released are now within Israeli territory, where they underwent initial medical assessments and will reunite with their families when they arrive at Israeli hospitals. The Israel Defence Force praised the return of the hostages, who will now be accompanied by its soldiers. The release concludes the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began when Hamas fighters crossed the border on 7 October, leading to Israel attacking Gaza and killing over 1,200 people. Following the temporary ceasefire, several rounds of negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar ultimately led to the hostage-prisoner swap deal
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