Final Release of Israeli Hostages Marks Key Moment in Ceasefire Negotiations
On Friday, Hamas announced the names of six Israeli hostages set to be released on Saturday, completing the first phase of the ceasefire with Israel. The hostages include Tal Shoham, Omer ShemTov, Eliya Cohen, Omer Wenkert, Avera Mengistu, and Hisham al-Sayed. The first four were taken captive during the recent attacks on October 7, 2023, while Mengistu and al-Sayed have been held in Gaza for nearly a decade.
Avera Mengistu, 37, is part of the Ethiopian-Israeli community in Ashkelon, captured by Hamas in September 2014 while on the beach at Zikim. Hisham al-Sayed, 28, from Hura in the Negev Desert, was kidnapped in April 2015 after crossing the Erez crossing.
In the notable exchange, Israel will release 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, adding to the hundreds already freed since the ceasefire took effect. Initially, Hamas was meant to release only three hostages on Saturday, with the reason for the unexpected change still unknown.
In total, 33 hostages are included in the first phase of this agreement, with 19 already released and both Hamas and Israel confirming the deaths of the remaining eight. On Thursday, Hamas handed over the bodies of what it claimed were four hostages, yet Israel contended that one of the identities did not align with any known hostage.
Looking ahead, an additional 24 hostages are anticipatively slated for release in the second phase of this agreement. This moment emphasizes a pivotal juncture in the ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel, highlighting both the urgency and complexity surrounding hostage situations amidst a fragile ceasefire.
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