These are the leading stories in local newspapers this Saturday.

Times of Malta leads with news that authorities have so far recouped €627,000 from benefits cheats who accessed monthly payments as part of a broader disability fraud racket.

The newspaper also gives prominence to news that terrorist group Hamas released a first round of hostages it was holding in Gaza, as a truce deal with Israel came into force.

The Malta Independent leads with news of the Hamas hostage release and also reports that government finance data for October showed debt inching up to nearly €10 billion.  

L-Orizzont reports a speech by the president of the Malta Institute of Management in which he called for economic planning, saying a resilient economy requires a collective effort to grow further.

The newspaper also covers the death of an elderly woman in Ħal Far, who was run over by a bus shortly after she disembarked it.  

In-Nazzjon reports that the UĦM has warned that it will not accept any of its members being disciplined if they are late to work on Monday because they need to take their children to school due to a looming teachers’ strike.

The newspaper also reports a PN statement which criticised the government for having caused “absolute stagnation” in the education sector.