Hamas Set to Release Three More Israeli Hostages Amid Ceasefire Deal
#image_title

Hamas Set to Release Three More Israeli Hostages Amid Ceasefire Deal


Share this post

Hamas is expected to release three more Israeli hostages on Saturday in the Gaza Strip in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

They have been named by Hamas as male civilians Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy.

So far, 18 hostages have been freed since the ceasefire began on 19 January with Israel in return releasing 383 prisoners. Hamas says another 183 are to be returned on Saturday.

Some 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners are due to be freed by the end of the first stage of the ceasefire in three weeks' time. Israel says eight of the 33 are dead.

In line with the ceasefire deal, Israel is set to release the183 Palestinian prisoners – more than 70 are serving life or long sentences; others are Gazans detained during the war.

Hamas seized 251 hostages and killed about 1,200 people when it attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, triggering the war.

At least 47,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. About two-thirds of Gaza's buildings have been damaged or destroyed by Israel's attacks, the UN says.

Eli Sharabi, 52, was taken from Kibbutz Beeri with his brother, Yossi, whose death has since been confirmed. Eli's British-born wife, Lianne, and two daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were murdered in the attack.

Mr Sharabi's brother-in-law, Stephen Brisley, from Wales, said his safe return "has always been that one crumb of comfort".

"Eli coming home alive would be perhaps the greatest memorial to Lianne and the girls and we're so close to achieving that now," he told the BBC.

Ohad Ben Ami, 56, was also taken from Kibbutz Beeri, along with his wife, Raz. She was later released by Hamas.

Mr Ben Ami, an accountant, is "known for his good judgment and sense of humour", according to the Hostages Families Forum.

Or Levy, 34, a computer programmer from Rishon LeZion, a city south of Tel Aviv, fled the Nova festival with his wife Eynav, when gunmen attacked the event.

Mr Levy was taken hostage and Eynav's body was found in a bomb shelter where the couple had been hiding.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed authorities had received the list of abductees scheduled for release on Saturday, and their families had been informed.

Earlier on Friday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters had welcomed "news about the expected release" of the three hostages.

"We will not give up or stop at any stage until all hostages return home under the current agreement - down to the very last one - the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial," the statement said.

Hours before they released the hostage names, Hamas accused Israel of failing to abide by its commitment to boost the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza as part of the ceasefire deal.

The head of Hamas's media office in Gaza, Salama Marouf, told a news conference in Gaza City: "The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic due to Israeli obstruction".

He said only 8,500 out of an expected 12,000 aid lorries had entered Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect, and medical equipment and shelter supplies had been deliberately delayed, according to media reports.

The allegation contradicts UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher, who on Thursday said 10,000 lorries with food, medicine and tents had crossed into Gaza since the start of the ceasefire in what he called "a massive surge".

Meanwhile, Yarden Bibas, 34, an Israeli hostage who was freed on Saturday, made a direct plea to Netanyahu to bring back his wife and children, who are still in captivity.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu, I'm now addressing you with my own words... bring my family back, bring my friends back, bring everyone home," Mr Bibas said in his first public statement since his release.

Hamas claimed in November 2023 that Mr Bibas's wife, Shiri, and two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, had been killed in an Israeli air strike, without providing evidence. Israel has not confirmed the report.

Armed Hamas militants carry the coffin of senior military commanded Marwan Issa in the central Gaza Strip

In a separate development in central Gaza on Friday, hundreds of people - including armed Hamas fighters - attended a funeral held for senior Hamas military commander Marwan Issa.

Issa is seen as one of the masterminds of Hamas's 7 October attack. The Israeli military had said he was killed in an air strike last March, but his death was only confirmed by Hamas last week.

Details of Saturday's exchange were released as President Donald Trump continued to push his widely criticised proposal to move all Palestinians from Gaza and redevelop it as an international travel destination.

His announcement - for the US to "take over" the Gaza Strip, resettle its Palestinian population and turn the territory into the "Riviera of the Middle East" - has complicated talks on the planned next stage of the ceasefire.

But Israeli negotiators are still expected to meet mediators in Qatar later on Saturday.

Trump's idea was strongly condemned by Arab countries and the UN.


Share this post
Comments

Be the first to know

Join our community and get notified about upcoming stories

Subscribing...
You've been subscribed!
Something went wrong
Snoop Dogg Brings Out Huntrix, Lainey Wilson for Netflix NFL Christmas Halftime Show

Snoop Dogg Brings Out Huntrix, Lainey Wilson for Netflix NFL Christmas Halftime Show

Snoop Dogg took over for the NFL’s second-ever Christmas Halftime show on Thursday evening, enlisting a star-studded set of cameos from the likes of Lainey Wilson, the singers behind KPop Demon Hunters‘ Huntrix, and a book-end cameo from the veteran rapper’s longtime pal Martha Stewart to help him out. Netflix confirmed Snoop as the halftime performer over a week ago for the Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings game. The streaming service also aired the Cowboys-Commanders game earlier today, while t


O A

Oscars to Stream Exclusively on YouTube from 2029

Oscars to Stream Exclusively on YouTube from 2029

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube from 2029, marking a major shift away from traditional broadcast television. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Wednesday that it had signed a multi-year agreement granting YouTube exclusive global streaming rights to the Oscars through 2033. Under the deal, the ceremony will be broadcast live and free on YouTube, ending more than five decades of television coverage on ABC.


O A

Venus Williams Weds Italian Actor Andrea Preti

Venus Williams Weds Italian Actor Andrea Preti

Venus Williams, the American tennis superstar, has tied the knot with Andrea Preti, the Italian actor. The couple took to their respective social media pages to share photos from the ceremony that was held in Florida over the weekend. “Mr and Mrs Preti, a dream come true,” Venus wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Venus Williams (@venuswilliams) On his part, Andrea added: “Mr and Mrs Preti, it’s a kind of magic my beautiful wife @venuswilliams”. Venus looked stunning i


O A

Drake Surprises Streamer BonDaDonnn With a Rolls-Royce Christmas Gift

Drake Surprises Streamer BonDaDonnn With a Rolls-Royce Christmas Gift

Drake delivered a holiday surprise that stunned fans and lit up social media this week. The Grammy-winning rapper gifted a Rolls-Royce to streamer BonDaDonnn during a live broadcast. The moment unfolded late Christmas Eve during a widely watched stream. Viewers saw BonDaDonnn step outside before realizing what waited curbside. “Oh my God, there is no way this is real,” BonDaDonnn said on stream. He paused, hands shaking, before repeating, “This is actually insane.” The luxury vehicle arrived


O A