Hamas releases another eight hostages as part of Gaza ceasefire deal

Driving the news: Thursday's exchange took place in two stages and in two different parts of Gaza.

• Agam Berger, an Israeli soldier who was kidnapped during the October 7 attack and held hostage by Hamas since then, was released first in Gaza city.
• Later two other Israeli civilians — Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses — were released in Khan Younis near the destroyed house of the deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
• Moses, who is 80 years old, is the first man who was released by Hamas since October 7.
• Five Thai nationals who were kidnapped by Hamas from Israel on October 7 were also released.
• The Thai nationas — Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat and Rumnao Surasak — were released after in-direct negotiations between their government and Hamas via Qatar and Egypt.

State of play: During the release in Khan Younis the two Israelis were paraded among the huge crowd that gathered in a scene that quickly turned chaotic.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel protested to the mediators Qatar and Egypt for the way the release took place, which he said, endangered the safety of the hostages.
• The Israeli government retaliated by delaying the release of 110 Palestinian prisoners by several hours.
• Netanyahu said Israel won't release the Palestinian prisoners without assurances from the mediators that the next hostage releases will not be as chaotic as Thursday's.

• Hamas said the huge crowds that gathered signaled the group's popularity in Gaza and the support it has among to local population.

What they are saying: White House envoy Steve Witkoff met on Thursday in Israel with four women soldiers who were released last Saturday.

• He then visited the hostages square in Tel Aviv and met with families of hostages who are still held in Gaza.
• Witkoff told the families that President Trump is committed to bringing back home all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, including the bodies of dead hostages.

What's next: Witkoff told reporters that an American hostage is expected to be released Friday.

• The next release is scheduled for Saturday with three hostages expected to come out of Gaza. It wasn't clear whether Witkoff misspoke or whether the release would be expedited.