The six hostage men are the last still living prisoners released during the first phase of the ceasefire. Three of them, all in their 20s, were removed by Hamas during the massacre that took place at a music festival at the extremist movement’s attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023.
Another from the hostage, speech Shoham, was removed from Kibbutzen Be’eri in southern Israel when Kibbutzen was stormed by Hamas in the October attacks in 2023. Shoham’s wife and two small children were released in an early exchange later that year.
In addition, two men held by Hamas since 2014 and 2015, respectively, have been released. They had, on their own initiative, crossed the border to Gaza where they were arrested.
Release is postponed
On Saturday, Israel, on his part, was expected to release over 600 Palestinian prisoners. But the release has been postponed because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah’s government first wants to keep security discussions, says political sources.
Among the more than 600 Palestinian prisoners to be released, there are more than 100 sentenced to long prison sentences in Israel and more than 400 that were detained in the ongoing war.
In a final step in the first phase of the ceasefire, the Palestinian extremist movement Hamas will leave the four hostages over the week. Then the movement has about 60 hostages left, of which about half are considered to be alive.
Gave the wrong remains
On Thursday, Hamas left the remains of several dead hostages, but in one case the remains belonged to the wrong person. On Saturday morning, relatives of the dead woman Shiri announced that her remains were finally handed over and identified as the right ones.
In negotiations on phase two, Hamas still requires an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza for a “sustainable” calm to be reached as intended. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is adamant that Hamas will be destroyed and his more extreme government colleagues want the war to resume.
Facts: The Armed Wheel Agreement
Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas agreed on a ceasefire that began on January 19 and would be for six weeks in the first phase.
During the six weeks, Hamas will release a total of 33 people held hostage in Gaza, the vast majority since the Palestinian extremists’ attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israel will release a total of 1,900 people. It is about some who have been sentenced to imprisonment in Israel and some that have been detained during the war. Exactly how many people are released each time is unclear, but it should happen while Hamas releases hostage.
When phase one is over, another 60 Israelis will remain as Hamas hostage. The idea is that they should be released in a second phase of the ceasefire, which is intended to bed for an Israeli withdrawal and a more long -term and “sustainable” calm in the Gaza Strip. But the circumstances for this are not yet negotiated.