In a tense continuation of the ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Hamas militants released three Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of the fifth exchange under a fragile truce in Gaza. The three individuals, identified as Eli Sharabi,
Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), while 183 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli custody are scheduled for release later in the day.
The swap comes against the backdrop of international controversy following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to depopulate the Gaza Strip and place it under American control—a suggestion that has provoked widespread
condemnation and been outright rejected by Hamas.
In Tel Aviv, euphoric crowds gathered to watch the live broadcast of the hostages’ release. The scene in Deir el-Balah was heavily controlled by armed Hamas fighters as the hostages were presented in an area adorned with banners
showcasing destroyed Israeli armored vehicles and an image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking despondent.
Each of the three hostages endured harrowing experiences before their capture:
– Eli Sharabi, 52, was taken from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri, where his British-born wife and two daughters were killed when their safe room was set on fire.
– Or Levy was abducted from the Nova music festival, an event where Hamas militants killed his wife and numerous other attendees.
– Ohad Ben Ami, 56, who holds dual Israeli-German citizenship, has spent months in captivity since the October 7 attack.
Former hostage Yarden Bibas, freed in an earlier exchange, made an emotional appeal to Netanyahu on Friday, urging the government to prioritize securing the release of his wife and two young sons, Ariel and Kfir Bibas,
who remain in captivity.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu, I’m speaking in my own words—bring my family back, bring my friends back, bring everyone home,” he implored in his first public statement after his release.
Hamas previously claimed that his wife and children had died, but Israeli authorities have not verified this claim.
The ongoing ceasefire, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, is designed to secure the release of 33 hostages in a 42-day period. In return, Israel has released approximately 600 Palestinian prisoners so far.
With the latest hostage release, Netanyahu’s office confirmed that an Israeli delegation will travel to Doha for renewed negotiations to discuss the next phase of the truce—a stage aimed at securing the release of more
hostages and possibly negotiating an end to the conflict.
The war, which began with Hamas’s October 7 attack, has seen 251 hostages taken into Gaza, with 73 still in captivity—including 34 whom the Israeli military believes to be dead.
In response to the attack, Israel’s military campaign has resulted in over 47,583 deaths in Gaza, the majority of whom are civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures
reliable, though independent verification remains challenging.
As both sides prepare for further negotiations in Doha, the international community watches closely, hoping for a sustained ceasefire and eventual resolution to the prolonged crisis.
AFP
