Three other Israeli hostages were released on Saturday in exchange for dozens of Palestinian prisoners such as the cease-fire contract Between Israel and Hamas continued to hold. It was the fifth hostage and the exchanges of prisoners who occur within the framework of the first phase of the agreement, which began on January 19.
Ohad Ben Ami, 56, Eli Sharabi, 52, and / or Levy, 34, were all taken hostage during the Brutale Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 which killed 1,200 people in Israel and triggered The war in Gaza. More than 47,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, according to the Local Health Ministry managed by Hamas.
Mohammad Abu Samra / AP
The release of the three male hostages followed the same choreography as the previous versions: they were taken to white vans in a staged area where they were given to the officials of the Red Cross. The three men looked very thin and fragile.
“These are men who endured hell itself,” said the forum of hostages and families missing in Tel Aviv in a statement after seeing the state of the three hostages on Saturday. “There can be no more delays – a second step in the agreement with the hostage must be implemented immediately!”
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office published a statement after the statement saying: “Because of the serious state of the three hostages and repeated violations of the Hamas terrorist organization, Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu asked not to Authorize the situation not to be awarded, and to take appropriate measures. »»
However, we did not know what these measures would be.
Shortly after the transfer of hostages to Gaza, a bus carrying Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived in the West Bank, in accordance with the cease-fire agreement, Reuters reported.
Mahmoud Ilnean / AP
Ben Friend and Sharabi were kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7. Ben Ami’s wife Raz was also kidnapped, but she was released as part of a separate exchange agreement in November 2023. Sharabi’s wife and two girls were killed in the attack.
“I just hope that he already knows it, because it will just be another layer of torture to have survived during the 490 days, then go out to this news,” said Sharabi’s brother-in-law, Stephen Brisley, CBS News Partner Network BBC News told CBS before his release.
Or Levy attended the Nova music festival with his wife, Einav, when activists attacked. The two tried to take refuge in a bunker. Einav was killed and was kidnapped.
The transfer occurred a few days after President Trump suggested that the Palestinians in Gaza could be transferred to other countriesWho has sent diplomatic shock to the world and has aroused concern that the fragile cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas could collapse.
Until now, 18 hostages have been released in exchange for more than 550 Palestinian prisoners as part of the first phase of the agreement. Negotiations during the second phase are underway.