It was founded in 1949 to support Palestinian refugees across the Mideast that fled or were forced from their homes during the war over Israel’s creation.
War in Israel
This will be the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Israel also released 110 Palestinian prisoners. The swaps are a key part of a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the war.
The Israeli women are Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Agam Berger, 20, and the man is Gadi Moses. The identities of the Thai nationals were not immediately known.
The visit comes as the United States pressures Israel and Hamas to continue a ceasefire that has paused a devastating 15-month war in Gaza.
Israel’s president called on all nations and all people “who consider themselves part of the civilized world” to use their influence to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Israeli forces in southern Lebanon opened fire on protesters demanding their withdrawal in line with a ceasefire agreement, killing at least 22 and injuring 124, Lebanese health officials reported.
Israel kept thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza on Sunday as it accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of hostages it has released.
Four female Israeli soldiers who were taken in the attack that sparked the war in Gaza returned safely to Israel on Saturday.
An advocacy group representing the families of hostages confirmed the identities of the captive Israelis to be released on Saturday.
Yuval Raphael won with a performance of the Swedish group ABBA’s pop hit “Dancing Queen,” which she dedicated to the victims of the attack.
The Israeli military said Wednesday its soldiers killed a terrorist in Gaza who it said posed a threat to its forces, as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas stretched into a fourth day.
The attack — the single deadliest on Israel in its history — killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the terrorists abducted another 250. More than 90 captives are still in Gaza, around a third believed to be dead.
Yemen’s Houthi terrorists signaled they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships after a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip, but warned assaults could resume if needed.
Emily Damari, 28, was one of three hostages freed Sunday after spending 471 days in captivity. Officials at a hospital that received them said their condition was stable.