Hamas releases 3 more Israeli hostages in ceasefire deal
What's the story
The Palestinian militant group, Hamas, has freed three more Israeli hostages under an ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel. The released hostages—Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy—were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza on Saturday. The release is part of the hostage-for-prisoner exchanges under the truce that commenced on January 19.
Hostage background
Hostages' abduction and tragic family losses
Sharabi was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri during a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The same attack killed his wife and daughters. Ben Ami was also abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri, with his wife being released in November 2023. Levy was captured during the Nova music festival attack near Kibbutz Re'im where his wife tragically died.
Prisoner swap
Israel to release 183 Palestinian prisoners in exchange
In exchange for the hostages' release, Israel is scheduled to release 183 Palestinian prisoners. The group consists of 18 people serving life sentences and 54 with lengthy sentences. The swap marks the fifth round of swaps since the ceasefire commenced on January 19. The truce initially mandated Hamas to release at least 33 hostages over six weeks in exchange for over 1,500 Palestinian detainees.
Truce disputes
Accusations of ceasefire violations heighten tensions
The ceasefire deal has been tainted by allegations from both parties of breaching its conditions. Israel slammed Hamas for failing to share a list of hostages' names 24 hours prior to their release. On the other hand, Hamas alleged Israel of obstructing crucial aid shipments to Gaza. The extended truce has paused over a year of hostilities that started with Hamas's assault on October 7, killing 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping 251 others.
Prisoner details
Palestinian Authority reveals names of prisoners for release
The Palestinian Authority released the names of the prisoners to be released, including Iyad Abu Shakhdam and Jamal al-Tawil. Separately, Yarden Bibas, whose family is still held hostage in Gaza, made a public appeal for their release. "My light is still there," he said about his missing family members. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump proposed resettling Gaza residents as a "real estate transaction," drawing criticism from several quarters.