Qatar Says Truce to Begin 07:00 on Nov. 24 — At Least 3 Americans Included in Prisoner Swap

Qatar has announced that the start of the four-day truce and prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas would be scheduled for 07:00 local time on Friday (05:00 UTC, November 24).

Spokesperson for the Qatari foreign ministry Majed al-Ansari said that the two sides have exchanged lists of those that would be released. Hamas would release the first group of 13 hostages by Friday afternoon, with Israeli officials expected to release 39 of its prisoners and detainees if the 1:3 ratio was followed.

Al-Ansari added that increased aid for Palestinians should be expected to enter Gaza "as soon as possible."

The Times of Israel reported that the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the families of Israeli hostages who would be expected to be released from captivity in Gaza on Friday have already been notified.

Qatar Says Truce to Begin 07:00 on Nov. 24 — At Least 3 Americans Included in Prisoner Swap

(Photo : Amir Levy/Getty Images)
A man walks by photos of hostages held in Gaza in the Tel Aviv's Museum of Modern Art on November 22, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. On Tuesday night, Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day pause in fighting that would entail the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza, as well as 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israel. But the start time for the brief truce has not been announced. According to Israeli authorities, around 240 hostages are being held by Hamas in Gaza after being captured from communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

At Least 3 Americans Included in First Prisoner Swap

The truce and prisoner swap was due to take place on Thursday (November 23) but was postponed at the last minute due to logistical issues, The Guardian reported.

Under the agreement, Hamas would free at least 50 of the approximately 240 hostages - mostly Israeli civilians, but also including other foreign nationals - the group abducted across southern Israel in the October 7 attack.

Meanwhile, a senior US official told The Independent, on the condition of anonymity, that Washington was expecting the release of at least three of at least 10 American hostages in the first group of hostages Hamas would be releasing.