Second group of 13 hostages released from Gaza, after 7 re-unite with families in Israel

Another group of 13 Israeli hostages has been handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza, shortly after Hamas released the first seven hostages earlier on Monday, according to Israeli media i24.

The bodies of 28 other hostages remain in the terror group's hands, with plans to transfer most of them to Israel later in the day.

Earlier, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that seven hostages had already been transferred to the Red Cross and were on their way to Israeli forces waiting inside Gaza.

The IDF said the first group of seven, identified as Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, and Guy Gilboa-Dallal, was safely escorted out of the Gaza Strip by special Israeli forces.

All seven hostages released in the first batch arrived at an IDF facility near the border community of Re'im for a physical and mental checkup. Then they will meet their families, as per ‘Times of Israel’.

Emotional footage emerged showing Israeli families speaking with their loved ones. Avishai David, the father of hostage Evyatar David, told Channel 12 that he and his family are waiting to "hug, smell, and breathe" their son upon his release, after speaking with him in a video call while he was in Hamas captivity.

In a video, Avi Ohana, the father of hostage Yosef Haim Ohana, is seen speaking with his son, telling him that "everyone is waiting" for the hostages' return.

The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that the families of the seven hostages had been informed that their loved ones were now in the care of IDF forces and would soon arrive in Israel.