More hostages released as Israel-Hamas truce extended to seventh day: Live updates

The six additional hostages released by Hamas on Thursday have arrived in Israel and will head to Hatzerim Airbase, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Israeli soldiers will escort the freed hostages to hospitals, where they will reunite with their families, the military said, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. Three different medical centers will care for the hostages: two in the Tel Aviv area and one in Be’er Sheva, in southern Israel, according to health officials.

Live visuals showed a convoy of Red Cross vans entering the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt en route to Israel late Thursday night.

Earlier Thursday, two women who had been held in Gaza were released and taken to Israeli hospitals.

Hostages were released in separate batches Thursday because they were being held in different locations in Gaza, according to an Israeli official.

Their identities are as follows: 

• Sapir Cohen, adult
• Shani Goren, adult
• Nili Margalit, adult
• Ilana Gritzewsky, adult
• Bilal Alziadana, adult
• Aisha Alziadana, child

Among the complete group of hostages released Thursday, those with dual nationalities include a Mexican, a Russian and an Uruguayan, according to Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Dr. Majed Al-Ansari.

Four out of the total eight hostages are residents of kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, the kibbutz said in a statement.