Three Israeli hostages, Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami, have been freed by Hamas and taken to Israel in a prisoner exchange. The hostages were paraded on stage before being handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza. The release comes as part of a 42-day ceasefire agreement.
Three Israel i hostages, Eli Sharabi, 52, Or Levy, 34, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, are being taken to hospital after they were freed by Hamas earlier today and taken to Israel . Fighters from the militant group had earlier handed them over to the Red Cross in Gaza 's central city of Deir al-Balah after fighters paraded them on a stage and interviewed them. In exchange, Israel freed a group of Palestinian prisoners from the Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank.
A spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said 183 would be released in total, in a statement yesterday. The release comes as part of a 42-day ceasefire deal brokered in November 2023, which has seen 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages released and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed. The agreement has been criticized by some for delaying the entry of hundreds of trucks carrying food and other humanitarian supplies for people returning to their bombed-out homes. Returning hostage Eli Sharabi arrived at Sheba Hospital moments ago draped in an Israeli flag. Or Levy arrived at the same facility earlier today. The Israeli military said today it has attacked a 'weapons storage facility' belonging to Hamas in Deir Ali in southern Syria. 'The weapons stored inside the facility were intended to be used on attacks on IDF troops,' the IDF said, accusing Hamas of using 'Syrian soil for their terrorist activities.' Returning hostage Or Levy has arrived at Sheba Hospital in Israel after he was transported there by an Israeli Air Force helicopter, where he has been reunited with his family ahead of medical treatment. Ohad Ben-Ami and Eliyahu Sharabi are also on their way to hospital, traveling in a separate helicopter. Sharabi is due to arrive at Sheba Hospital as well, while Ben-Ami is expected at Ichilov Hospital. The International Committee of the Red Cross said today that it is 'increasingly concerned about the conditions surrounding release operations,' after facilitating the fifth hostage and prisoner exchange of the ceasefire. Three hostages were transferred out of Gaza to Israel, and a total of 183 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli custody today. 'We strongly urge all parties, including the mediators, to take responsibility to ensure that future releases are dignified and private,' it said. Earlier today, each of the three hostages were interviewed on stage before their release, something that did not happen during previous releases.Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his response to today's hostage release and failure to act sooner. Netanyahu vowed to “take appropriate measures” after today’s release, pointing to “the serious condition of the three hostages.” 'Didn't you know before,' Lapid wrote on X, saying that Netanyahu had been aware for months that they were in poor condition. 'What does it help them now that you “ordered to take action”? And if there are actions, why didn’t you order them earlier?' he added. The Israeli military has released pictures of the moment the hostages were reunited with their families. Ohad Ben-Ami hugged his wife Raz, who was also taken captive during Hamas' terror attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. She was released alongside 100 others as part of the weeklong ceasefire deal hostage deal in November 2023.Some of the 183 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis in buses belonging to the Red Cross.Released hostages Ohad Ben-Ami and Eliyahu Sharabi are on their way to hospital in a helicopter alongside members of their family, the Israeli military has said. Earlier, Or Levy, the third hostage freed today by Hamas, departed in a separate helicopter on his way to hospital.Released hostage Or Levy, 34, is on his way to a hospital in an Israel Air Force helicopter, according to the Israeli military. Levy was being transported alongside members of his family, and 'will be reunited with other members of his family' at the hospital where he will also receive medical treatment, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. Ohad Ben-Ami and Eliyahu Sharabi, who were also freed today, are expected to take off for hospital shortly with their families, the IDF said.Surrounded by masked and armed Hamas fighters, each of the three hostages freed today was interviewed on the stage before they were transferred into the custody of the Red Cross. This had not happened in previous weeks when other hostages were freed. The gaunt looking hostages appeared to questioned by one of the Hamas gunmen with a microphone. It was unclear if they were allowed to speak freely or if they had prepared for the interviews. Ohad Ben Ami asked the Israeli government to push for a second and third phase of the ceasefire and hostage-release deal, and called for an end to the war, according to a translation by NBC News. He added that Netanyahu had failed on Oct. 7, 2023, the day of Hamas' terror attacks on Israe
HAMAS ISRAEL HOSTAGES PRISONERS CEASEFIRE GAZA RED CROSS EXCHANGES ISRAELIL MILITARY
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire live updates: Three hostages released by Hamas, including Israeli American Keith SiegelIsraeli American hostage Keith Siegel was released by Hamas in the latest exchange and is on his way to Israeli custody.
Read more »
Live blog: Three Israeli, five foreigner captives freed by Hamas in GazaThe truce in Israel's war on Gaza — which has reportedly killed over 47,417 Palestinians — enters its 12th day as Tel Aviv kills 10 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Read more »
Live blog: Hamas names three Israeli captives to be freed tomorrowTruce in Israel's war on Gaza — which has reportedly killed over 47,460 Palestinians — enters its 13th day as Tel Aviv escalates violence in West Bank and Trump reiterates plan to uproot Palestinians from Gaza.
Read more »
Three Israeli Hostages to Be Freed in Hamas Prisoner ExchangeThree Israeli hostages are set to be released today in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, according to a Hamas spokesperson. This follows a larger agreement reached in the 42-day phase of the conflict, involving the release of hostages from both sides and the temporary evacuation of children needing urgent medical care from Gaza.
Read more »
Three Israeli Hostages to Be Freed by Hamas in Exchange for Palestinian PrisonersThree Israeli hostages are set to be released by Hamas today in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners. This latest exchange is part of a wider ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Read more »
Three Israeli Hostages Released by Hamas, 183 Palestinian Prisoners Freed in ExchangeThree Israeli hostages were released by Hamas and handed over to the Red Cross in exchange for a group of Palestinian prisoners freed from an Israeli military prison. This release marks a significant development in the 42-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The hostages were paraded and interviewed by Hamas before being transferred.
Read more »