Here's how Israeli soldiers were trained to greet the child hostages released by Hamas on Friday

• 24 hostages were returned to Israel on Friday, including at least 4 children.
• They include Aviv Katz Asher, 2; Raz Katz Asher, 4; Emelia Aloni, 5; and Ohad Munder, 9.
• IDF soldiers were instructed to greet them by saying, "You are in a safe place."  

Israeli soldiers have been given strict instructions on how to care for the child hostages released by Hamas on Friday after seven weeks of captivity.  

According to the Jersulaem Post, Israeli soldiers were told to make sure the children feel safe while staying away from questions like the whereabouts of their parents, some of whom may not have survived the October 7 attack that kicked off the MidEast war.

Among the child hostages released are Aviv Katz Asher, 2; Raz Katz Asher, 4; Emelia Aloni, 5; and Ohad Munder, 9, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office.  

Upon meeting child hostages, soldiers are trained to say: "Hello, my name is... I am a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces, and I am accompanying you to get home. You are in a safe place. I am here to take care of you; you are safe."

The soldiers must then try to ensure the children are physically safe but ask permission before touching them. Questions include: 

• "Are you cold or hot?"
• "Are you thirsty?"
• "Can I give you a hand?"
• "Is it okay if I pick you up and help you walk?"

Per the Jerusalem Post, the guide also warns that the kids may ask about the whereabouts of their family members. "The children will ask questions such as 'Where is my mother? Where is my father?'" according to the guide from the country's Welfare Ministry for greeting child hostages.

"The soldiers must not answer these questions, even if they know the answers," the guide says.  

The guide said soldiers are to reply to these types of questions with: "I'm sorry, I don't know. My job is to bring you to Israel, to a safe place, where people you know will be waiting for you and will answer all of your questions," the Jerusalem Post said.

Hamas on Friday released several dozen hostages, including several children and elderly people, at the start of a four-day truce with Israel. In exchange, Israel released more than 30 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, according to the Red Cross.

The war kicked off on October 7 when Hamas fighters from the Gaza Strip launched a surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and resulted in 240 hostages being taken. Hamas has previously said it could release as many as 70 hostages if Israel agreed to the ceasefire, which was brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.   

The first wave of hostages to be released include 13 Israeli women and children, 10 Thai citizens, and one Filipino, the Israeli government has said. The Red Cross said 24 hostages have been safely released. 

The IDF said in a statement that hostages have been taken to Israeli hospitals to undergo a medical assessment and to reunite with family members.