Hamas has handed over three more Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of the ongoing prisoner exchange under a tenuous ceasefire agreement.
The three men—Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen, all in their 20s—were brought out by masked and armed Hamas fighters before a large crowd in Nuseirat, central Gaza. They were dressed in fake Israeli military uniforms, despite not being soldiers at the time of their abduction. Shem Tov and Wenkert waved and smiled at the onlookers before being placed into Red Cross vehicles for their transfer to Israel.
In Israel, Cohen’s family and friends erupted in cheers upon seeing him, chanting his name in celebration. Shem Tov’s grandmother, overcome with emotion, expressed her joy with traditional ululation, exclaiming, “Omer, my joy! My life!”
Earlier in the day, two additional hostages—Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38—were released in Rafah, southern Gaza. A sixth hostage, Hesham al-Sayed, 36, is also expected to be freed later on Saturday.
Cohen, Shem Tov, and Wenkert were among those abducted by Hamas militants during the attack on the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, which triggered Israel’s nearly 16-month military campaign in Gaza.
The latest exchange follows a week of heightened tensions, including a dispute over the return of remains. Hamas had initially handed over the wrong body in place of Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother abducted along with her two young sons. The ongoing ceasefire agreement includes the expected release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners by Israel in return for the hostages.
Key Points:
Hostage Release: Hamas freed three Israeli hostages—Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen—transferring them to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, Gaza.
Public Display: The hostages were presented before a crowd by masked Hamas fighters, dressed in fake Israeli military uniforms.
Family Reactions: Celebrations erupted in Israel as families saw their loved ones for the first time since their abduction.
Earlier Releases: Two other hostages, Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu, were freed earlier in the day in Rafah, southern Gaza.
Background: The three men were kidnapped during the October 7, 2023, Nova music festival attack, which led to Israel’s prolonged military operation in Gaza.
Ceasefire Concerns: The fragile truce remains under strain, especially following Hamas’s mistaken handover of the wrong body in an earlier exchange.
Prisoner Exchange: The deal involves the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees by Israel in exchange for the freed hostages.
