Israeli security forces announced that the second group of hostages freed by Hamas had returned to Israel, AFP reported.
The joint announcement by the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security service came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that the government "embraces the 17 hostages who are returning home, 13 our citizens and 4 Thai citizens."
The release of the Israelis was the second under the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The release of the captives was earlier delayed for several hours after Hamas accused Israel of not honoring the agreements.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari shared on social networks footage of the bus with the freed hostages passing through Israeli territory.
The unexpected delay rattled relatives as Qatari and Egyptian mediators tried to address the Islamist group's concerns that Israel was interfering in the selection of prisoners for release and preventing aid from reaching civilians in northern Gaza during the four-day truce.
In the end, Hamas said it gave a "positive response" to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators, after receiving through them a promise from Israel to "fulfill all the terms of the agreement."
Qatari authorities said that in the second exchange, 13 Israeli hostages - eight children and five women - were released in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners - 33 children and six women. /BGNES
