Hamas has released three more Israeli hostages as part of the cease-fire agreement, amidst accusations from both sides of violating the terms of the truce. The civilians, Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza for their release.
Eli Sharabi, 52, was taken by Hamas from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri during a violent attack in October 2023. Tragically, Sharabi’s wife and daughters were killed during the attack, and his brother Yossi was also taken hostage and later died in Gaza.
Ohad Ben Ami, 56, from the same kibbutz, was kidnapped alongside his wife Raz during the same incident in October. Raz was later released in November 2023.
Or Levy, 34, was captured during the Nova music festival massacre near Kibbutz Re’im, where terrorists killed hundreds of people, including his wife Eynav. Levy’s young son, Almog, has been under the care of his parents since his capture.
In exchange for the release of these three men, Israel is set to release 183 Palestinian prisoners, including some serving life sentences. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the condition of the hostages upon their release, noting their emaciated and weak appearance.
This exchange marks the fifth round of hostage-for-prisoner swaps since the cease-fire began in January. The agreement initially called for the release of female hostages, followed by older men and those who are severely ill, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Despite the progress made in the exchanges, tensions flared as Israel accused Hamas of not providing the list of hostages’ names in advance, as required by the agreement. Hamas, on the other hand, accused Israel of blocking aid to Gaza, leading to a delay in sharing the hostages’ names.
The cease-fire has brought a temporary halt to over a year of conflict that saw Hamas carry out brutal attacks, resulting in the deaths of over a thousand Israelis and the kidnapping of hundreds more. The hope is that continued negotiations and adherence to the terms of the truce will lead to a lasting peace in the region.
