Gaza: Hamas hands over five of the six hostages in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, marking the final exchange of living captives under the truce that began last month.
Hostage Release Details
The first two hostages—Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38—were freed in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Saturday morning. Shoham was taken by Hamas from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023. Mengistu, an Israeli from Ashkelon, crossed into Gaza in 2014.
Both were later transferred to the Israeli military by the Red Cross. Meanwhile, three other hostages—Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, and Omer Wenkert—were handed over separately in Nuseirat, central Gaza. All appeared to be in stable condition.
A sixth hostage, Hisham al-Sayed, 37, an Arab-Israeli from a Bedouin community in southern Israel, was also set for release but will be handed over at a different location. Al-Sayed and Mengistu reportedly suffer from serious mental health conditions.
Background on the Hostages
Four of the six hostages released Saturday were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants during the October 7 attack. Cohen, Shem Tov, and Wenkert were taken from the Nova music festival, while Shoham was abducted from his home along with his wife, children, and mother-in-law. His relatives were freed in November 2023.
Prisoner Exchange Agreement
Hamas has stated that Israel will release 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in return. Among them:
50 prisoners serving life sentences.
60 individuals with long-term sentences.
445 detainees held without charge since October 7.
Saturday’s exchange marks the completion of the first phase of the hostage deal.
Hamas’ Future Demands
Hamas signaled its willingness to release all remaining Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, are ongoing.
The Fate of Shiri Bibas
The remains of hostage Shiri Bibas arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday night. Hamas initially claimed her body was part of a previous exchange, but forensic tests revealed that her remains were not included. The misidentification triggered outrage in Israel.
What Comes Next?
Following Saturday’s handovers, Hamas still holds 63 Israeli hostages in Gaza, of whom at least 32 are believed to be dead. If four more bodies are released next week as planned, the first phase of the ceasefire deal will be fully executed. Talks continue over an extension of the ceasefire and further exchanges.
