42 Palestinian prisoners, 14 Israeli hostages to be released today

Israeli authorities said 14 hostages being held in the Gaza Strip and 42 Palestinian prisoners would be released on the second day of a truce deal today

Prison authorities said 42 prisoners — both male and female — would be freed under the terms of the agreement, which mandates exchanges at a ratio of three to one, and an Israeli official source said 14 hostages would be handed over.

On the first day of the four-day cease-fire, Hamas released 24 of the about 240 hostages taken during its October 7 attack on Israel.

On the same day, Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison. Those freed from captivity in Gaza were 13 Israelis, 10 Thai nationals and a Filipino.

During the four days, Hamas is to release at least 50 Israeli hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel has said the truce can be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed — something US President Joe Biden said he hoped would come to pass.

The start of the truce on Friday morning brought the first quiet for 2.3 million Palestinians reeling and desperate from relentless Israeli bombardment that has killed thousands, driven three-quarters of the population from their homes, and levelled residential areas. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel went silent as well.