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Day 50 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Nov. 25

Friends and relatives of Palestinian prisoners that were released from the Israeli Ofer military facility in exchange for hostages freed by Hamas in Gaza, react as they are paraded in Baytunia in the occupied West Bank on November 24, 2023. After 48 days of gunfire and bombardment that claimed thousands of lives, the first hostages to be released under a truce deal between Israel and Hamas were handed over on November 24, both sides said, nearly seven weeks after they were seized. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH
Friends and relatives of Palestinian prisoners that were released from the Israeli Ofer military facility in exchange for hostages freed by Hamas in Gaza react in Baytunia in the occupied West Bank on Nov. 24, 2023. — JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images

Qatar says that 39 Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli captives in a second phase of the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

Rina Bassist, Ezgi Akin, Beatrice Farhat, Elizabeth Hagedorn, Adam Lucente, Jack Dutton, Jared Szuba and Al-Monitor’s contributors on the ground in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel contributed to this blog.


Click here for our most recent updates.


Live updates (all times EDT):

Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023

5:38 pm: Second phase of hostage-prisoner exchange complete after delay over aid

Israel and Hamas carried out the second phase of a planned hostage-prisoner swap early Sunday morning after a dispute over the terms of the truce agreement initially delayed the transfer.

Thirteen Israeli hostages — eight children and five women — were freed Saturday evening. The Israeli military announced that representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross had accompanied the released hostages from Gaza to Egypt and then on to Israel late Saturday local time.

The group was released in the framework of the Qatar-mediated deal with Hamas that included the release of 39 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who are residents of east Jerusalem and the West Bank. Four Thai nationals were also released on Saturday evening in a separate release deal.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majid Al Ansari confirmed the transfer in a post on X.

“13 Israelis and 4 foreigners were received by ICRC and [are] on their way to Rafah,” Ansari wrote.

Earlier in the day, a Qatari delegation arrived in Israel to discuss a possible extension of the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas that started on Friday, reported Haaretz.

1:00 pm: Qatar says obstacles to second hostage release overcome

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that hurdles in the hostage deal have been "overcome through Qatari-Egyptian communications."

“We managed to overcome all obstacles through Qatari and Egyptian contacts,” the ministry spokesperson said, according to Egyptian media outlets.

"Tonight, 39 Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli captives, in addition to 7 foreigners who are outside the agreement," the spokesperson said.

10:30 am: Israel says it shot down drone near Red Sea

The Israeli military said it successfully shot down an incoming drone over the Red Sea close to the southern city of Eilat.

The downing of the drone follows a series of attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen targeting Israel. 

7:00 am: Hamas delays release of second group of hostages

Hamas said Saturday that it was delaying the release of a second group of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners until Israel complies with a truce agreement.

The Palestinian militant group's armed wing said the issues of aid deliveries to the northern Gaza Strip and the selection criteria for prisoner releases were holding up the handover.


Click here for our most recent updates.


For our previous live coverage, see:

Day 49 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Nov. 24

Day 48 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Nov. 23

Day 47 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Nov. 22

Day 46 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Tuesday, Nov. 21

Day 45 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Nov. 20

Day 44 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Nov. 19

Day 43 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Nov. 18

Day 42 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Nov. 17

Day 41 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Nov. 16

Day 40 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Nov. 15

Day 39 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Tuesday, Nov. 14

Day 38 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Nov. 13

Day 37 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Nov. 12

Day 36 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Nov. 11

Day 35 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Nov. 10

Day 34 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Nov. 9

Day 33 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Nov. 8

Day 32 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Tuesday, Nov. 7

Day 31 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Nov. 6

Day 30 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Nov. 5

Day 29 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Nov. 4

Day 28 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Nov. 3

Day 27 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Nov. 2

Day 26 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Nov. 1

Day 25 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Tuesday, Oct. 31

Day 24 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Oct. 30

Day 23 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Oct. 29

Day 22 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Oct. 28

Day 21 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Oct. 27

Day 20 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Oct. 26

Day 19 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Oct. 25

Day 18 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Tuesday, Oct. 24

Day 17 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Oct. 23

Day 16 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Oct. 22

Day 15 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Oct. 21

Day 14 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Oct. 20

Day 13 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Oct. 19

Day 12 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Oct. 18

Day 11 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Tuesday, Oct. 17

Day 10 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Oct. 16

Day 9 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Oct. 15

Day 8 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Oct. 14

Day 7 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Oct. 13

Day 6 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Oct. 12

Day 5 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Wednesday, Oct. 11

Day 4 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Tuesday, Oct. 10

Day 3 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Oct. 9

Day 2 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Oct. 8

Day 1 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Oct. 7

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