The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that two Israeli hostages are now in the care of the Red Cross and are heading to Israel. It's about two women.
"According to information received from the Red Cross, two Israeli hostages have been transferred to them and are on their way to Israeli territory," the IDF said.
He added that more hostages are expected to be released in the coming hours.
One of the women is 40-year-old Amit Soussana.
He was at home with a fever on October 7, when Hamas attacked Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
French-Israeli national Mia Schem was also released.
Last day of truce?
Thursday would be the last day of a truce between Hamas and Israel, which went into effect last week for the exchange of hostages taken by terrorists in the Oct. 7 attack and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
The truce, which was initially agreed for four days, was extended under pressure from family members and the United States and the negotiating force of Qatar and Egypt.
But negotiations are getting more difficult, with Hamas demanding the release of heavier prisoners. So far, Israel has agreed to release women and girls detained before October 7 for minor offences such as stone-throwing.
Egypt and Qatar continued to press on Thursday for a further two-day extension of the temporary ceasefire in Gaza, along with more releases of Palestinian prisoners and an increase in humanitarian aid deliveries, a statement from Egypt's state media agency said.
"Egypt will continue to make its utmost efforts to ensure the continuous flow of humanitarian aid to the north and south of the Gaza Strip," said the head of Egypt's state intelligence service, Diaa Rashwan.
Qatar mediates talks between Israel and Hamas
An extension of the truce for a seventh day had been agreed late on Wednesday. Under the agreement, 10 more Israeli hostages and 30 other Palestinian prisoners will be released, along with more aid sent to Gaza.
Controversy over Hamas list
Negotiations for Thursday's release had stalled when Hamas said Israel had rejected a proposed list that included seven living captives and the remains of three others the group said were killed in previous Israeli airstrikes.
The Kfir family. Photo: archive
This information sparked speculation about whether those bodies were those of Argentine-Israeli baby Kfir Bibas, his brother and his mother, who Hamas sources said on Wednesday had been killed in an Israeli bombardment, without showing evidence.
Israel repudiated that announcement. He said Hamas was responsible for the security of the hostages and that the army was investigating the veracity of this information, which had already been communicated to the Bibbas family. As of Thursday, there was no official information on the fate of the 10-month-old baby and his family.
Israel later said Hamas had sent an improved list that paved the way for enlargement.
With information from agencies and BBC News