On Thursday, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released three more Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals who were captured during the October 7 attack in exchange for the freeing of 110 Palestinians from Israeli jails.
The first Israeli hostage to be released, Agam Berger, a 20-year-old female soldier, was handed over the Red Cross by Hamas in northern Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, which had been completely destroyed by the Israeli military.
Later, Hamas and PIJ militants released a female Israeli civilian, Arbel Yehoud, 29, Gadi Mose, an 80-year-old man, and the five Thai nationals in the southern city of Khan Younis. The handover to the Red Cross was done in front of the destroyed home of Hamas’s slain leader, Yahya Sinwar.
The release of the seven hostages in Khan Younis drew a big crowd, and footage showed the captives surrounded by Hamas and PIJ militants, who were pushing through the crowd as they brought them to Red Cross officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the release of Palestinians from Israeli jails over what he called “horrific scenes” from Gaza, but Israel later freed the Palestinians after the Israeli hostages reunited with their families.
The five Thai nationals met with Thai government officials and are on their way home to Thailand. They were working on farms in southern Israel when they were captured by Palestinian militants on October 7, 2023.
According to CNN, the Hamas Prisoner Media Office said the 110 Palestinians set to be released on Thursday included 30 children, 32 sentenced to life, and 48 given high sentences. Some of the prisoners were deported upon their release, and their families have been prevented from traveling to meet them.
Israel has been trying to prevent Palestinians from celebrating the prisoner releases, and according to Middle East Eye, Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of Palestinians near a prison in the West Bank, injuring at least 12. The Israeli military also dropped threatening leaflets on Gaza, warning against celebrations.
Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas and Israel are supposed to begin negotiations on the second phase in the coming days. The ceasefire is incredibly fragile as Israel has killed more than 80 Palestinians in Gaza since it went into effect on January 19, and Israeli officials are threatening to restart the genocidal war.
Netanyahu has claimed he has a guarantee from President Trump to restart military operations if he chooses to do so, but Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with the Israeli leader on Wednesday and reportedly pushed for the full ceasefire deal to be implemented.
