In a dramatic turn of events, Hamas released the final six hostages from Gaza on Saturday, marking the completion of the agreed-upon exchange under last month’s ceasefire deal. In return, Israel is set to release approximately 600 Palestinian detainees. The long-awaited handover has captured global attention, with scenes of both relief and tension unfolding across different regions.
The first two hostages, Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38, were turned over to Red Cross officials in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. Shoham had been kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri, along with his wife, two children, and mother-in-law, all of whom were freed in November 2023. Meanwhile, Mengistu, an Israeli from Ashkelon, had crossed into Gaza in 2014 and was taken captive.
Later in the day, thousands, including Hamas fighters, gathered at a separate location in Nuseirat, central Gaza, where three more hostages—Eliya Cohen, 27, Omer Shem Tov, 22, and Omer Wenkert, 23—were handed over in another carefully staged event. In a highly choreographed scene, several children took the stage, wearing shirts displaying images of Hamas leaders who had been killed.
The three men had been abducted from the Nova music festival, a tragic event near the Gaza border that saw numerous hostages taken. Although visibly thin, they appeared to be in better condition than some previously released captives, whose frail health had sparked alarm in Israel. In a striking moment, Shem Tov engaged briefly with some Hamas fighters on stage and even blew a kiss toward the crowd.
A sixth hostage, Hisham al-Sayed, 37, an Arab-Israeli from a Bedouin community in southern Israel, was also freed and handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City. According to both Israeli security sources and Hamas, Al-Sayed had crossed into Gaza in 2015. Both he and Mengistu reportedly suffer from serious mental health conditions and had been held captive for nearly a decade.
For Israel, the return of these hostages is a bittersweet moment. The Israeli military confirmed that all freed captives had crossed back into Israel and would undergo medical assessments before reuniting with their families. The emotional toll on these individuals and their loved ones cannot be overstated.
On the other side of the exchange, the Palestinian Prisoners Office released a statement detailing the list of 600 prisoners expected to be freed. Of these, 50 had been serving life sentences, while another 60 had received long-term sentences. A significant number—445—were detained in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attacks.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog weighed in on the development, calling the completion of the hostage deal a “humanitarian, moral, and Jewish imperative.” He praised the resilience of the freed captives and their families, stating, “Today’s freed hostages return from the depths of hell to begin the process of healing and recovery alongside their loving families, who fought with all their strength for them.”
However, not all hostage returns have gone smoothly. On Friday night, the remains of Shiri Bibas arrived in Tel Aviv, following an uproar over Hamas mistakenly releasing the wrong body. Bibas’ remains had been expected to be among those of four hostages returned by Hamas on Thursday, alongside her two sons, Kfir and Ariel, and another captive, Oded Lifshitz. But forensic tests by Israeli authorities revealed that the fourth body did not belong to Bibas—or to any known Israeli hostage—sparking outrage and condemnation.
A convoy carrying Bibas’ remains, which Hamas had handed over to the Red Cross, arrived in Tel Aviv late Friday. In a heartbreaking statement, her family shared, “Last night, our Shiri was brought home. After the identification process at the Institute for Forensic Medicine, we received the news this morning that we had feared: our Shiri was murdered in captivity.”
Even with Saturday’s releases, the hostage crisis is far from over. Hamas and its allies continue to hold 63 Israeli hostages in Gaza, with at least 32 believed to be dead, according to Israeli officials. One of these captives, soldier Hadar Goldin, has been held since 2014.
The situation remains fluid as Israel and Hamas engage in indirect negotiations aimed at extending the ceasefire. These talks, already delayed by more than two weeks, could shape the next phase of this complex conflict.
In a significant shift, Hamas on Saturday signaled its willingness to release all remaining Israeli hostages—both living and deceased—in a single exchange. The militant group has proposed a deal in which Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza as part of the next phase of the ceasefire agreement.
As these high-stakes negotiations unfold, the world watches closely, hoping for a resolution that brings an end to the suffering on both sides. For now, the return of the six hostages offers a moment of relief, but the broader conflict remains a deeply complicated and painful reality.
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