Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Thursday set free a total of eight hostages – three Israelis and five Thai nationals – who had been held since the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
This marks the third round of releases since an initial six-week truce between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza went into effect on January 19.
Israeli soldier Agam Berger was the first to be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Her transfer took place amid the ruins of the Jabalia urban refugee camp in northern Gaza.
Berger, likely acting under duress, waved to a crowd from a stage she was placed on. Berger’s family in Israel watched the ceremony on television and reacted with enthusiastic cheers to the sight of her.
A crowed of people also celebrated and waved Israeli flags at what has become known as “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv.
Hours later, Israeli authorities confirmed that five Thai nationals and two more Israelis, one of them female and one male, were released. Both of the Israelis are civilians.
These seven were released to aid workers in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.
The two Israeli hostages were Arbel Yehud, a 29-year-old woman, and 80-year-old man Gadi Moses. Both Yehud and Moses also hold German citizenship.
Broadcaster Al Jazeera showed chaotic scenes of Yehud and Moses, accompanied by masked men, struggling to make their way through the densely-packed crowed of people and to the waiting ICRC vehicles.
The handover took place next to the destroyed house of Yehya al-Sinwar, who had been the leader of Hamas in Gaza until he was killed by Israeli forces in October.
The released hostages were initially taken to an Israeli military camp on the edge of the Gaza Strip and from there to various different hospitals in Israel.
In exchange for the hostages’ freedom, 110 Palestinians held in Israeli jails are expected to be released on Thursday. About 30 of them have been convicted on murder charges.
Yehud was abducted from her house in the Nir Oz kibbutz on October 7, 2023, along with her boyfriend. The woman’s brother, who also lived in Nir Oz, was killed during the attack.
Before their release, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group released a video of Yehud smiling and embracing Moses.
Moses was also abducted from Nir Oz. His partner was killed during the massacre.
