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Hamas have handed over three Israelis and five foreign citizens in chaotic scenes in several places in Gazaas part of the latest phase of a fragile weapons agreement.
Arbel Sehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, 80, both civilian and Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20 were released in the middle of massive crowds in the north and south of the Gaza Strip. Later, the Israeli military together with five foreign nationals said they were accompanied by Israeli forces to Israel for medical assessments.
The five foreigners were not identified but believed to be Thais national. More than 30 Thai agricultural workers took hostage on October 7. Israel expected later to release another 110 Palestinian Prisoners, in the third such exchange since the battle paused earlier this month.
Crowds of Palestinians in the southern town of Khan Youni’s swarmed heavily armed militants as they fought through the cirrum to deliver a visibly shaken yehoud, 29, to Red Cross vehicle.
There seemed to be no live pictures of Mr Moses’ release – he is among the oldest remaining hostages in Gaza. His family members told me The Independent Last week he suffered from many medical problems. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the chaotic cenes from Yehoud release “shocking”.
“I demand that the mediators ensure that such terrible scenes do not return and guarantee the safety of our hostages. Anyone who dares to harm our hostages will pay the price. “
Earlier in Jabalia, Northern Gaza, Berger, 20, a military observer, who came out of a severely damaged building in northern Gaza, was filmed before stepping into a stage where she waved to the audience. A video from Berger’s family homes showed dozens of people celebrating when they saw her released.
“This is the happiest moment of my life,” told one of Berger’s relatives of Israeli outlet Channel 12. “Now we can breathe again.”
Mrs. Berger’s family said in a statement: “Thankfully, we have reached this moment, and our hero Agam has returned to us after 482 days in the enemy hands.”
There was an official word about the identity of Thai citizens, which was among those planned to be released. Wiwwwaeo Sriaoun, the mother of one of the remaining Thai hostages earlier AFP on Thursday she was “nervous” and hopes her son will be among the liberated.
On hostage Square, a gathering point in Tel Aviv, said a group representing those held in Gaza that the crowds “looked at fear of Arbel Yehud surrounded by a massive steadfast mob in Gaza”.
They grip around huge screens and played the live pictures from Gaza with anxiety.
About 1,200 people were killed during Hama’s bloody attack according to the Israelis, while 251 more, including the eight released today, was taken hostage.
Israel’s retaliation air and soil offensive in Gaza during the 15 months since the Hamas attack has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to the local Ministry of Health and expelled almost 2 million people.
Berger reportedly arrived at the NaLal Oz base in southern Israel just two days before Hamas October 7 Attacks in 2023 to serve as an observer. About 1,200 people were killed during these attacks, while 251, including Berger, was taken hostage.
She was captured together with her fellow observers Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa and Naama Levy, who have all already been released.
Yehoud, which appeared in a Palestinian Islamic jihad video this week was taken with his partner Ariel Cunio. Cunio, along with his brother David, remains in Gaza and is not included in the list of publishers for the first part of the weapons agreement. Yehoud’s brother Dolev was killed during the abuse on October 7.
Yehud is the last female civilian hostage that Israel believes is probably alive. Another civilian woman, Shiri Bibas, remains in Gaza after she was abducted from Nir Oz with her two young sons, Ariel, who was 4 at that time, and Kfir, who was 9 months. The Israeli military has expressed serious concern for the life of Bibas and her children, although their deaths have not been confirmed.
Partner to Moses, one of the oldest remaining hostages, was also killed by Hamas on October 7. His ex-wife Margalit Moses, originally a hostage, was released during the first week-long ceasefire agreement in November 2023.
We are currently in the middle of the first phase of this Israel-Hamas Ceasefire, which will see 33 hostages released for up to 1,900 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons for six weeks. Three Israeli civilians and now five soldiers – all women – have been released so far in weapons weapons, which began on January 19. In return, Israel has released 290 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
The seven previously released Werkarina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag last Saturday, and Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari last weekend eight of the 33 are dead, said the Israeli government this week that fifteen will therefore be released After today, with the next edition scheduled for Saturday.
Of the people who will be released from the prisons in Israel on Thursday, 30 earnings sentence after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. Zakaria Zubeidi, a prominent former militant leader and theater director who participated in a dramatic Jailbreak 2021 before the days of reworking, is also among those who will be released.
On the West Bank, the prisoners’ families were worried about news about emissions, which according to Arab media will include 32 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life, 48 prisoners with long penalties and 30 minors. A list shared with The Independent showed that the youngest was only 15 years old.
Israel said Yehoud would have been liberated last Saturday and delayed the opening of intersections to Northern Gaza when she was not. Following an agreement, mediated by the United States, Egypt and QatarWas driven through late Sunday to release her on Thursday, Israel opened the intersection, known as the Netzarim corridor, the following morning.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians then began to return to their homes in the north of the enclave, much of which has been destroyed by more than 15 months of war.
USA, Egypt and QatarWho mediated weapons after a year of tough negotiations solved the dispute with an agreement that Yehoud be released on Thursday. Another three hostages, all men, will be released Saturday along with dozens more Palestinian prisoners.
