Hamas has released five of the six Israeli hostages scheduled for release on Saturday, as tensions between Israel and the militant group cast uncertainty over the fragile ceasefire agreement. The freed hostages include three Israeli men who were kidnapped while attending the Nova music festival and another taken while visiting family in southern Israel during the October 7, 2023 attacks.
The fifth hostage released and the sixth, who is expected to be freed later, had been held by Hamas for about a decade after voluntarily entering Gaza. The hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in two separate transfers, appearing on stage alongside masked, armed Hamas fighters in front of a large Palestinian crowd. In Nuseirat, Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen were brought forward by militants. Shem Tov was seen kissing a fighter’s head and waving to the crowd before the hostages were placed in Red Cross vehicles and taken to Israeli troops.
In Israel, Cohen’s family and friends celebrated his return, chanting his name in excitement. Shem Tov’s grandmother, overwhelmed with emotion, called out in joy as she saw him for the first time since his capture.
The latest releases come amid rising tensions after a controversial mistake by Hamas earlier in the week. The group initially returned the wrong body in place of Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother who was abducted with her two sons. The remains transferred alongside her sons' bodies were later determined to belong to an unidentified Palestinian woman. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the act as a "cruel and malicious violation" and vowed retaliation. Hamas later claimed the mistake was unintentional, and a small Palestinian militant group handed over a second body on Friday night. Israeli forensic experts confirmed it was Bibas.
Uncertain Future for Ceasefire Talks
With the ceasefire nearing the end of its first phase, negotiations for the next steps are expected to be difficult. The remaining hostages include civilians and soldiers, and Hamas has demanded a permanent ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal in exchange for further releases. Israeli leaders, however, remain committed to dismantling Hamas' military capabilities while also seeking the return of all hostages.
The six hostages freed on Saturday are the final ones under the first phase of the ceasefire deal. Earlier in the day, two hostages, Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38, were released in Rafah and taken to Israeli medical centers. Shoham’s family expressed relief, calling the moment unforgettable and urging further efforts to free those still in captivity. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, had been detained since 2014 after entering Gaza voluntarily. His family sang in celebration upon seeing him on Israeli television.
Hisham al-Sayed, the last hostage set for release, crossed into Gaza in 2015 and has been held ever since.
Hundreds of Palestinian Prisoners to Be Freed
As part of the exchange, Israel is expected to release more than 600 Palestinian prisoners. Among them are 50 serving life sentences, 60 with long terms, and 47 who had previously been freed under past hostage-for-prisoner deals. Additionally, 445 Palestinians detained since the start of the war will also be released.
Hamas has announced plans to return four more bodies next week, completing the first phase of the ceasefire deal. If this goes ahead, Hamas will still hold around 60 hostages, with about half believed to be alive. The group has warned that it will not release the remaining captives unless Israel agrees to a full withdrawal and a lasting ceasefire.
Netanyahu, backed by the U.S., remains firm on Israel’s military goals, creating a major roadblock to a long-term agreement. The war, which has lasted nearly 16 months, has devastated Gaza, with more than 48,000 Palestinians killed, according to the territory’s health ministry. Israeli forces claim to have eliminated 17,000 militants, though no independent verification has been provided.
As both sides continue their standoff, the fate of the remaining hostages and the possibility of lasting peace remain uncertain.
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