ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR: Joe Biden commends ceasefire as Hamas and Israel carry out first swap of hostages and prisoners as Gaza 

Foreign Desk 

President of the United States of America has said that hostage release is ‘start of a process’, as Hamas and Israel carry out first swap of hostages and prisoners as Gaza cease-fire.

Media reports from Gaza reports that Hamas released 24 hostages who had been held captive in Gaza for weeks, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison in the first stage of a swap under a four-day cease-fire deal.

According to the UN sources, young children and the elderly were among released hostages; hundreds of thousands assisted with food, water and medical supplies. Two hundred trucks carrying relief materials and food is expected to entre Gaza each day.

“Israel has received a list of hostages who are expected to be released by Hamas on Saturday, according to Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

“Israeli security officials have notified the hostages’ families, the Times of Israel reported, citing the Israeli prime minister’s office.

Israel says the cease-fire could be extended if more hostages are released, but it has vowed to resume its massive offensive once the truce ends. That has clouded hopes that the deal could eventually help wind down the conflict, which has fueled a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across the Middle East.