A Timeline of First Four Days of Hostage Releases

51 Fifty-one Israeli hostages and and 24 hostages that who are foreign nationals were released by Hamas over the course of the first four days of the ceasefire. About 150 Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel in exchange for the hostages.

[additional-authors]

Brian Fishbach

November 29, 2023

Families of the hostages and their supporters call for the release of all the hostages during a demonstration outside The Kirya ahead of the war cabinet meeting on the fifth day of the temporary truce on November 28, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

DAY 1 – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 24

Hamas agrees to a 4 day ceasefire for a prisoner/hostage swap.
13 Israeli, 10 Thai, and one Filipino are confirmed released. The Israelis range in age from 2 to 85 years old. All but one of the Israelis were from the Nir Oz Kibbutz.
They entered Egypt at the Rafah Crossing, the only border between Gaza and Egypt. The Rafah Crossing is about 4 miles northwest of the convergence of the Gaza-Israel-Egypt border. The hostages reentered Israel at the Kerem Shalom Crossing, where multiple medivac helicopters idled
Hostages arrive at Hatzor Airbase in Israel
No American hostages released; Netanyahu “not surprised.”
Israeli Prison Authority confirms 39 Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel.
President Joe Biden urges an “end to this cycle of violence in the Middle East.”

Israeli hostages released on Friday 11/24:

Yafa Adar, 85 – Holocaust survivor
Margalit Moses, 77
Hana Katzir, 76
Adina Moshe, 72
Daniel Aloni, 45, Emilia Aloni, 5
Doron Katz Asher, 34, Raz Asher, 4, Aviv Asher, 2
Channa Peri, 79
Ruth Munder, 78, Karen Munder, 54, Ohad Munder, 9

“I dreamt we came home, now the dream came true,”

—Raz Asher, 4, to her father Yoni after being freed (via Jerusalem Post).

“I am happy that I received my family back…But I am not celebrating until the last of the hostages return home.”

—Yoni Katz Asher, after his children and wife were freed on Friday.

DAY 2 – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER, 25

Hamas says they are delaying the release of a second group of hostages until more supply trucks can enter northern Gaza.
President Joe Biden has phone calls with the Emir of Qatar to urge an end to the hold up.
Israeli authorities tell families of hostages to go to medical centers to await loved ones.
Israel released 39 Palestinian women and teens imprisoned or in custody.
Egyptian and Qatari officials take action to remedy the delay.
An Israeli official reportedly makes an ultimatum to Hamas to release the hostages by midnight or Israel will “restart ground operations.”
Just after 11:00 p.m. Israel time, the IDF confirms that 13 Israelis and 4 Thai nationals are in custody of the Red Cross and on the way to Rafah crossing — seven hours after the initial agreed handover time.
9-year-old Irish-Israeli Emily Hand released. Ireland Prime Minister Leo Varadkar sparks controversy for describing Hand as being merely “lost” and “found.”
Throughout the day, the first group of hostages from Friday are reported in good condition as videos of families reuniting are released.

Israeli hostages released on Saturday, November 25

Emily Hand, 9
Hila Rotem, 13
Maya Regev, 21
Noam Or, 17, Alma Or, 13
Shiri Weiss, 53, Noga Weiss, 18
Sharon Avigdori, 52, Noam Avigdori, 12
Shoshan Haran, 67
Adi Shoham, 38, Yahel Shoham, 3, Naveh Shoham, 8

“I won’t allow Hamas to confuse me and inject their psychological warfare into my mind. I don’t watch the news, and I don’t hear any information. Until it happens, we remain hopeful that Gali will return safe and sound.”

—Kamelia Hoter Ishay, grandmother of Gali Tarshansky, a hostage in Gaza, and Lior Tarshansky, who was murdered on October 7. (Via Jerusalem Post)

DAY 3 – SUNDAY NOVEMBER, 26

Hamas releases propaganda videos of hostages being walked to the vans that will take them across the border to Egypt. “Keep waving,” Hamas terrorist can be heard instructing a hostage.
Safra Children’s Hospital at Sheba Medical Center says no children are in need of urgent medical care
Biden speaks about hostages
14 Israeli hostages released along with 3 Thai nationals.
First American hostage freed: Abigail Mor Edan, 4-year-old Israeli-American. Both of her parents were murdered on October 7th.
Freed Israeli hostage Elma Avraham, 84, is in critical condition at Soroka Hospital. She arrived in Israel with a heart rate of 40 bpm and a body temperature of 28°C (82.4° F)
Israeli-Russian dual citizen, Roni Krivoi, was released by Hamas, reportedly at the behest of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Krivoi was working as an audio technician at the Sound of Nova music festival when he was abducted October 7th. He escaped Hamas captivity for four days before being captured in Gaza and returned to custody.
Reports from freed hostages that while in captivity, they were fed little food — mostly rice and pita bread — and slept on plastic seats.
Qatari delegation sent to Israel to discuss extending the ceasefire.
Netanyahu said he’d extend the truce if that meant 10 additional hostages are released each day.

Israeli hostages – Released on Sunday, 11/26

Avigail Idan, 4 (both parents were murdered, two older brothers hid in closet and survived)
Ron Krivoi, 25
Hagar Brodutch, 40, Ofry Brodutch, 10, Yuval Brodutch, 8, Oria Brodutch, 4
Chen Goldstein Almog, 49, Agam Goldstein Almog, 17, Gal Goldstein Almog, 11, Tal Goldstein Almog, 9
Elma Avraham, 84
Adrienne Siegel, 62
Ela Elyakim, 8, Dafna Elyakim, 14

“We can pressure Hamas to a negotiation. And to get other deals going. It was made very clear to us, the families, that there is no deal that will bring all the hostages back at once. And considering that, if this is step number one, that means step number two is closer than ever.”

—Udi Goren, cousin of Tal Haimi who is presumed to be currently held hostage by Hamas (via i24 News).

DAY 4 – MONDAY NOVEMBER, 27

Thai Muslim group says they spoke with Hamas to negotiate for their hostages to be released.
Egypt reports the ceasefire will be extended by two days with 20 additional Israelis and 60 additional Palestinian prisoners to be released.
No Thai nationals are expected to be released on Day Four. Thai Government says so far, 17 Thai nationals have been released from Hamas captivity.
Margalit Moses, 78 year-old cancer survivor and freed hostage, released from hospital.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for an extension of the ceasefire.
Hamas says they will release 11 hostages: 9 children, 2 mothers.
Among the Day Four hostages released are three French, two German and six Argentinian dual nationals.
Freed hostages say Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar spoke in Hebrew to the hostages early in the ordeal.
Abigail Mor Edan was seen at the Hatzerim Airbase with her aunt Liron and grandmother Shlomit, “doing remarkably well.” Edan was spotted again at Schneider Children’s Medical Center.
Times of Israel reports that Red Cross has yet to see remaining hostages, despite U.S. and Israeli claims such visits were part of the ceasefire.
IDF reports that Hamas gave custody of youngest hostages to another terrorist group. Ten-month old Kfir Bibas and his brother Ariel, 4, were taken to Khan Yunis in southern Gaza and placed in the captivity of Palestinian terror group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Israeli media reports that a list of hostages to be released on Tuesday (Day 5) has been received.

Israeli hostages released on Monday, November 27:

Sharon Aloni-Cunio, 34, Emma and Yuli Cunio, 3-year-old twins
Yuval Engel, 11, Mika Engel, 18,
Karina Engel-Bart, 51
Or Yaakov, 16 Yagil Yaakov, 12
Erez Calderon, 12, Sahar Calderon, 16
Eitan Yahalomi, 12

“Wait, there’s a problem: there’s a woman older than me and in poorer health, she should go first.”

—Adina Moshe, a 72-year-old freed hostage, reportedly said to Hamas terrorists in an effort to persuade them to release another hostage in worse shape than her. (Via i24 News)