Hamas-led militants have released three more hostages, all Israeli civilian men, to the Red Cross – and Israel began freeing dozens of Palestinian prisoners as part of a fragile agreement that has paused the war in the Gaza Strip.
US President Donald Trump’s stunning proposal to transfer the Palestinian population out of Gaza, welcomed by Israel but vehemently rejected by the Palestinians and most of the international community, does not appear to have affected the current phase of the truce, which runs until early March.
But it could complicate talks over the second and more difficult phase, when Hamas is to release dozens more hostages in return for a lasting ceasefire.
Hamas may be reluctant to free more captives — and lose its main bargaining chip — if it believes the US and Israel are serious about depopulating the territory, which rights groups say would violate international law.
Israel confirmed that its forces received the three hostages after they were handed over to the Red Cross.
They will be taken for medical treatment and to be reunited with their relatives after 16 months in captivity.
Associated Press reporters later saw a bus carrying a few dozen Palestinian prisoners heading to a meeting point where their families, friends and well-wishers were waiting.
The three hostages — Eli Sharabi, 52; Ohad Ben Ami, 56; and Or Levy, 34 — appeared very gaunt and pale as armed Hamas fighters led them from a white van onto a stage set up in the town of Deir al-Balah.
All were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that sparked the war.
Before a crowd of hundreds of people, Hamas fighters pointed a microphone at each of the three in turn and made them make a public statement, before handing them over to waiting Red Cross officials.
It was the first time hostages freed during this phase of the ceasefire have been made to make public statements during their release.
Hours before the release, dozens of masked and armed Hamas fighters, some driving white pick-up trucks with guns mounted on them, lined up at the location of the exchange near the territory’s main north-south highway in Central Gaza.
This was the fifth swap of hostages for prisoners since the ceasefire began on January 19. Before Saturday, 18 hostages and more than 550 Palestinian prisoners had been freed.
The first phase of the ceasefire calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory. Last week, wounded Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt for the first time since May.
