Innocent Gazans threw stones and cursed the hostages as the vans were moving!
Most of the hostages who have been freed are: Margalit Moses, 77, and Adina Moshe, 72, from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Danielle Aloni, 44, and her daughter, Emilia, 5. Danielle was featured in a recent video published by Hamas as part of its campaign of psychological terrorism against Israel.
Ruth Munder, 78, her daughter Keren, 54, and Keren’s son, Ohad, who celebrated his ninth birthday in captivity last month.
Also freed was Hannah Katzir, 77, who recently appeared in a propaganda video released by the Islamic Jihad. The terrorist group just days ago falsely claimed that Katzir had died in captivity.
Yaffa Adar, 85, who was seen being driven in her mobility scooter from Kibbutz Nir Oz to Gaza.
Doron Katz Asher, 34, and, her daughters Raz, 4, and Aviv, 2. The family’s father, Yoni Asher, had become one of the faces of the campaign to release the hostages.
Hannah Perry, 79, from Kibbutz NIrim.
The IDF's operation to receive the hostages, codenamed "Heaven's Doors", began at 4:00 p.m. (Israel time).
Shortly before 7:00 p.m., the IDF confirmed that the hostages are in Israeli territory.
“IDF Special Forces and ISA Forces are currently with the released hostages. The released hostages underwent an initial medical assessment inside Israeli territory. They will continue to be accompanied by IDF soldiers as they make their way to Israeli hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.
“The Israel Defense Forces salutes and embraces the released hostages upon their return home. The IDF, together with the entire Israeli security establishment, will continue operating until all the hostages are returned home,” it added.
“The IDF Spokesperson reiterates the importance of demonstrating patience and sensitivity during this time out of respect for the released hostages and their families,” the statement concluded.
The hostages were released from the Khan Yunis Hospital, where they were held for a short time and were then handed over to the Red Cross, which then transferred them to Egypt via the Rafah Crossing.
As of 5:00 p.m., Israeli officials confirmed that the 13 hostages are in Egypt and will be making their way to Israel soon.
The President of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, later said that the organization that 13 Israeli hostages, as well as 11 Thai hostages who were freed as part of a different deal arranged by the Thai government, are making their way to the Rafah crossing.
The hostages reportedly underwent initial eye tests after being held for in the dark for a long time.
As part of the hostage deal, Israel freed 39 Palestinian Arab prisoners two hours after the Israelis were freed.
On Saturday, a second batch of hostages is scheduled to be released, and the same thing is to occur on Sunday and Monday.