Hamas is set to release three Israeli hostages on Saturday, including Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy, as part of an ongoing deal to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners. This marks another step in the ceasefire agreement that began on January 19, with 18 hostages already freed and Israel releasing 383 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has pledged to release an additional 183 prisoners on Saturday.
The ceasefire deal, which is expected to conclude within three weeks, aims to free 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners. However, Israel reports that eight of the 33 hostages are confirmed dead. These hostages were seized during Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people.
Among the hostages being released, Eli Sharabi, 52, was captured from Kibbutz Beeri alongside his brother, who died in the attack. Sharabi’s wife and daughters were also murdered during the assault. Ohad Ben Ami, 56, was also taken from Kibbutz Beeri with his wife, who was later freed. Or Levy, 34, was captured after fleeing the Nova festival with his wife, who was later found dead.
The release of these hostages follows months of efforts by Israeli authorities and their families to secure their freedom. The Israeli government confirmed it had received the list of names of those set to be released.
In the meantime, tensions remain over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, with Hamas accusing Israel of obstructing the delivery of promised aid. These accusations come despite the UN reporting a significant increase in the number of aid lorries entering the region.
