Three Israeli hostages, held captive by Hamas for 16 months, were released alongside the freeing of dozens of Palestinian prisoners. The release, part of a fragile ceasefire agreement, sparked outrage in Israel due to the hostages' frail condition and a staged ceremony forcing them to make public statements.
Hamas released three Israel i civilian hostages, Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy, after holding them for 16 months. This release coincided with Israel freeing dozens of Palestinian prisoners as part of a fragile ceasefire agreement that has paused the war in the Gaza Strip. The three hostages were presented to the world in a staged ceremony, where they were forced to make public statements before being handed over to the Red Cross.
Their emaciated condition sparked outrage in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office condemning the 'shocking scenes.' The release of these hostages follows a pattern of previous prisoner exchanges during the ceasefire. Before Saturday's event, 18 hostages and over 550 Palestinian prisoners had been freed. The three released men appeared significantly more frail than the 18 hostages previously released during the ceasefire which began on January 19th. Hamas claims to have 'made efforts to preserve their lives despite the (Israeli) bombardment.' Many Palestinians released from Israeli jails during the truce have also appeared gaunt and pale, alleging abuses and mistreatment during their detention. The current ceasefire phase, set to last until early March, appears unaffected by US President Donald Trump's controversial proposal to relocate the Palestinian population out of Gaza. However, this proposal could complicate negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire, where Hamas is expected to release more hostages in exchange for a lasting agreement.The first phase of the ceasefire, aimed at de-escalating the conflict, includes the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, and an increase in humanitarian aid. Last week, wounded Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt for the first time since May. The released hostages were captured during various incidents during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Sharabi and Ben Ami were both taken from Kibbutz Beeri, a farming community heavily impacted by the attack. Levy was abducted during the Nova music festival when militants stormed the venue. Sharabi's wife and two teenage daughters were killed in the attack, and his brother, Yossi, was also abducted and died in captivity. Levy's wife was killed during the attack, and his son, now three years old, has been cared for by relatives. Ben Ami, a father of three, was kidnapped with his wife, Raz, who was released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023
HAMAS ISRAEL HOSTAGES CEASEFIRE PRISONERS GAZA MIDDLE EAST WAR
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