- Hamas to release three Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
- Israel says 33 hostages will be freed under the ceasefire deal, but eight are confirmed dead.
- Hamas accuses Israel of blocking aid to Gaza, while the UN reports a surge in deliveries.
Hamas has announced the names of three hostages set to be released in Gaza on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The hostages are Eli Sharabi, 52, Ohad Ben Ami, 56, and Or Levy, 34—all male civilians.
Since the ceasefire began on January 19, Hamas has freed 18 hostages, while Israel has released 383 prisoners in return.
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As part of the first stage of the ceasefire, 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners are expected to be released within three weeks. However, Israel has stated that eight of the 33 hostages are already dead.
Hamas took 251 hostages and killed approximately 1,200 people during its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the ongoing war.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, at least 47,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive, while the UN reports that two-thirds of Gaza’s buildings have been damaged or destroyed.
Eli Sharabi was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri along with his brother, Yossi, who has since been confirmed dead. His wife and two daughters were also killed in the attack.
Ohad Ben Ami, also taken from Kibbutz Be’eri, was kidnapped alongside his wife, Raz, who was later released.
Or Levy, from Rishon LeZion, was taken hostage after fleeing the Nova festival with his wife, Eynav. Her body was later found in a bomb shelter where they had sought refuge.
Earlier on Friday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the news of the expected release, stating:
“We will not give up or stop at any stage until all hostages return home under the current agreement—down to the very last one—the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial.”
Hours before the hostage release announcement, Hamas accused Israel of failing to uphold its commitment to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza as part of the ceasefire deal.
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According to Salama Marouf, head of Hamas’s media office in Gaza, only 8,500 out of the expected 12,000 aid trucks had entered the territory, with medical equipment and shelter supplies deliberately delayed.
However, this claim contradicts UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher, who stated on Thursday that 10,000 trucks carrying food, medicine, and tents had already crossed into Gaza, describing it as “a massive surge” in aid.
