Hamas Releases Five Hostages Amid Ongoing Ceasefire Agreement

 Gaza/Tel Aviv: Hamas released five hostages on Saturday, with a sixth expected to be freed, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement. The latest releases come shortly after Israel confirmed that a body handed over earlier belonged to hostage Shiri Bibas, who was abducted during Hamas’ October 7 attack.

Hostage Releases and Their Conditions

Among those freed were Eliya Cohen (27), Omer Shem Tov (22), and Omer Wenkert (23), all of whom were taken from the Nova music festival during Hamas’ assault on southern Israel. The three were handed over to the Red Cross before being transported to Israeli forces. The captives appeared visibly frail as Hamas militants, armed with automatic rifles, stood on either side while they were made to wave to the gathered crowd.

Two other hostages, Tal Shoham (40) and Avera Mengistu (39), were released in Rafah, southern Gaza. A sixth, Hisham Al-Sayed (36), was expected to be freed in Gaza City.

Al-Sayed and Mengistu had been held by Hamas for nearly a decade after entering Gaza voluntarily. Shoham was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri along with his wife and two children, who were released during a brief truce in November 2023.

The six are the final living hostages from a group of 33 set for release under the first stage of the January 19 ceasefire deal. An estimated 60 more captives remain in Gaza, though fewer than half are believed to be alive.

Emotional Scenes in Israel

Hundreds of Israelis gathered in Hostages Square, Tel Aviv, braving the rain to mark the releases. Some lit candles under photos of the Bibas family, whose bodies were recently returned, while others cheered as they watched the release broadcast on large screens.

Among those present was Yael Alexander, whose son, a soldier and dual U.S.-Israeli national, was abducted from a military base near Gaza. "It's giving me a lot of hope that our son Edan will be next," she said.

Further south, crowds lined the road near the Gaza border, welcoming the convoy carrying the freed captives.

Hamas’ Controversial Handover Ceremonies

Hamas’ public release ceremonies, where hostages are presented on stage, have drawn mounting criticism. The United Nations has condemned these displays as the "parading of hostages," while Hamas defended them as a demonstration of Palestinian unity.

In exchange for the hostages, Israel is expected to release 602 Palestinian prisoners, including 445 Gazans detained during the war, along with several convicts serving lengthy or life terms, according to Hamas.

The Bibas Family Tragedy

The fragile ceasefire nearly collapsed due to an earlier misidentification of a body believed to be Shiri Bibas. However, late Friday, Hamas handed over another body, which Israeli forensic authorities confirmed as hers.

The Bibas family has become a symbol of Israel’s suffering since the October 7 attack. Shiri Bibas, her husband Yarden, and their two young sons, Kfir (10 months) and Ariel (4 years), were among those abducted. Hamas had previously claimed the children were alive, but Israeli military intelligence now asserts that both were deliberately killed by their captors “in cold blood.”

Israel’s Army Radio, citing forensic experts, reported that Shiri Bibas was likely executed along with her children. Hamas, however, insists they were killed in an Israeli airstrike. The Mujahideen Brigades, which claimed to be holding the family, has not provided further evidence.

Ceasefire and Future Talks

While the truce has temporarily halted hostilities, a permanent resolution remains uncertain. Hamas’ October 7 attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of 251 hostages, triggered Israel’s military response. The war has since claimed over 48,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza health officials, and left much of the enclave in ruins, with hundreds of thousands displaced.

Both parties have signaled willingness to negotiate a second phase of the agreement, which could involve the release of all remaining hostages and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Mediators continue to push for a long-term settlement, though significant challenges remain.