After weeks of negotiations and a last-minute delay, a group of hostages seized by Hamas militants during an attack on Israel have been released. Thirteen Israelis and four Thais walked to freedom on Saturday, joining the 13 others who had already been released earlier in the week. The release was part of a temporary cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, in which Israel also released 39 Palestinian prisoners. The exchange was put on hold for several hours due to a dispute over the terms of the cease-fire, but was eventually resolved with the help of Qatar and Egypt. Hamas announced on social media that the exchange was back on track after Israel's commitment to the agreed-upon conditions was confirmed. The hostages were then transferred to Egypt by Red Cross representatives. This release comes seven weeks after the hostages were originally captured by Hamas. Although 17 hostages have now been released, there are still over 200 captives remaining. The release of the hostages raises questions about Israel's tactics in its conflict with Hamas and the ongoing war in Gaza.