Free at last! 13 women and children Israeli hostages are finally released after 48 days in captivity in Gaza - along with 12 Thai nationals who were also being held by Hamas

The first group of hostages have been released from Gaza after 48 days of captivity as part of a truce deal between Israel and Hamas that went into effect this morning.

Thirteen Israeli women and children and 12 Thai hostages, who were kidnapped and taken into the territory by the terror group in its October 7 attack on Israel, were finally freed today after an agonising wait.

Israeli media reported the hostages had been transferred by Hamas to the Red Cross, then on to the Egyptians, before crossing into Egypt. They will next be given to the IDF who will transfer them by helicopter to a hospital in central Israel.

Going the other way were 39 Palestinian prisoners - 24 women and 15 teenagers - who are being released by Israel as part of the deal that paused the fighting in the Gaza Strip for the first time in seven weeks which was sparked by Hamas's attack.