Hamas fighters free first wave of hostages in Gaza truce

GAZA CITY - Masked Hamas gunmen freed a first wave of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, sparking rare scenes of celebration in a seven-week war that has killed thousands of people.

During a carefully orchestrated swap carried out at the start of a four-day ceasefire, Israelis beeped horns and applauded in the street as ambulances took the hostages to hospital for check-ups in the late evening, AFP video images showed.

Hamas released 24 hostages in total, all women and children, according to key mediator Qatar and an official Israeli list. They comprised 13 Israelis, some of them dual citizens, 10 Thais and one Filipino citizen.

Israel in turn freed 39 women and children from its prisons.

A two-minute video released by Hamas showed masked militants with rifles, wearing military fatigues and the green headband of its armed wing, as they handed hostages over to Red Cross officials.

The captives had been in Hamas' hands since its fighters smashed through Gaza's militarised border with Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and seizing around 240 Israelis and foreigners, according to Israel.

Among the freed hostages, four children and four women were admitted to Schneider Children's Medical Centre. 

Their physical condition is "good" and they will undergo a medical and psychological assessment, the hospital's chief executive, Efrat Bron-Harlev, said.