13 Israeli hostages, 4 foreigners released from captivity in the Gaza Strip

Hamas released 13 Israelis and four foreigners late Saturday in the second round of swaps under a cease-fire deal, the Israeli military said, after the group initially delayed the exchange for several hours and claimed that Israel had violated the terms of a truce deal by blocking relief aid.

The army said Red Cross representatives transferred the freed hostages, including four Thais, to Egypt late Saturday. They were to be transferred to Israel later in the evening.

Prison authorities in Israel released 39 Palestinian detainees, they said early on Sunday, under an agreement between Israel and Hamas that earlier saw 13 Israeli hostages freed by the group from the Gaza Strip.

Television images showed prisoners being welcomed home in annexed east Jerusalem. The most prominent individual listed as being released was Israa Jaabis, 38, who was allegedly accused of detonating a gas cylinder in her car at a checkpoint in 2015, wounding a police officer, and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The last-minute delay had created a tense standoff on the second day of what's meant to be a four-day cease-fire. By nightfall, as the hostages should have emerged from Gaza, Hamas alleged that the aid deliveries permitted by Israel fell short of what was promised and that not enough of it was reaching northern Gaza — the focus of Israel's ground offensive and main combat zone. Hamas also said not enough veteran prisoners were freed in the first swap on Friday.

Earlier, the armed wing of Hamas said it had decided to delay Saturday's scheduled second round of hostage releases until Israel committed to allowing aid trucks to enter northern Gaza.

Hamas' Al Qassam Brigades said the hostage releases would be delayed if Israel did not adhere to the agreed terms for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

There was no immediate Israeli response to the statement. Earlier an Israeli military spokesperson had told France's BFM television station that, barring last minute changes, 13 Israeli hostages were expected to be freed.

He said 39 Palestinian prisoners would be released in return.

Under the truce deal between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, a total of 50 hostages are to be exchanged for 150 Palestinian prisoners, some of them convicted on weapon charges and violent offences, over four days.

In the first exchange on Friday, 13 Israeli women and children - out of around 240 hostages captured by Hamas fighters on a killing spree in southern Israel on Oct. 7 - were released. Twenty-four jailed Palestinian women and 15 teenagers were released from Israeli jails.

Saturday's setback came just hours after Egypt, which controls the Rafah border crossing into southern Gaza through which vital aid supplies have resumed, said it had received "positive signals" from all parties over a possible extension of that deal.

Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS), said in a statement that Cairo was holding extensive talks with all parties to reach an agreement which would mean "the release of more detainees in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails."

Israel has said the ceasefire could be extended if Hamas continues to release hostages at a rate of at least 10 per day. A Palestinian source has said up to 100 hostages could go free.

Israel and Hamas have said hostilities would resume as soon as the truce ends, although US President Joe Biden said on Friday there was a real chance of extending the truce.

Reuters