Hamas has freed six hostages in Gaza, marking the final release of Israeli captives under the first phase of a fragile ceasefire agreement, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.
Among the released were Eliya Cohen (27), Omer Shem Tov (22), and Omer Wenkert (23), all captured during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on the Nova music festival in southern Israel. The three were handed over to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza, before being transferred to Israeli forces.
In separate releases, Tal Shoham (40) and Avera Mengistu (39) were freed in southern Gaza’s Rafah, while a sixth captive, Hisham Al-Sayed (36), was released in Gaza City without ceremony. Al-Sayed and Mengistu had been held by Hamas since they crossed into Gaza voluntarily years earlier.
This release concludes the handover of the last living hostages from a group of 33 originally slated for release under the ceasefire deal, which began on January 19. Meanwhile, 63 more hostages remain in Gaza, with less than half believed to still be alive.
The handover ceremony was marked by criticism from the United Nations, which condemned the “parading of hostages.” Hamas, however, defended the public events as a demonstration of Palestinian solidarity.
In exchange for the hostages, Israel is set to release 602 Palestinian prisoners, including 445 Gazans arrested during the war, and numerous convicts involved in previous attacks on Israelis.
The ceasefire itself remains tenuous, having been threatened by the misidentification of Shiri Bibas’ body earlier this week. However, the correct remains of Bibas were returned late Friday, confirming her death along with her two young sons.
The war, sparked by Hamas’s deadly October attack, has already claimed the lives of thousands, including at least 48,000 Palestinians. While both Israel and Hamas aim to proceed with talks regarding the next phase of the ceasefire, the path to a final resolution remains unclear.