Hamas-led militants released three frail and gaunt Israeli hostages on Saturday, while Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners as part of a delicate truce that temporarily halted the ongoing war in Gaza.
The emaciated condition of the hostages and their coerced participation in a staged release ceremony provoked outrage in Israel, intensifying calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend the ceasefire beyond its current six-week period.
Despite pressure, Netanyahu has previously hinted at resuming military operations, even at the risk of leaving several hostages in Hamas captivity.
During the public release, armed Hamas fighters escorted Eli Sharabi, 52, Ohad Ben Ami, 56, and Or Levy, 34, onto a stage before a crowd of hundreds.
The captives were made to give public statements before being handed over to the Red Cross.
The three men, abducted during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that ignited the war, appeared visibly weaker than the 18 hostages released earlier in the ceasefire that began on January 19.
Later that day, Israel began releasing dozens of Palestinian prisoners, some of whom also looked frail and required immediate medical attention.
The Red Crescent confirmed that seven of the released prisoners were taken to hospitals.
The deteriorated state of the hostages and their forced public statements unlike earlier releases, triggered strong reactions across Israel.
“Israel views Hamas’ repeated violations with great severity, and the condition of the three hostages who were released this morning with even greater severity,” said Gal Hirsch, the Israeli prime minister’s coordinator for hostages. “We will not remain silent about this. A message has been passed on to the mediators, and action will be taken accordingly.”
Israeli opposition leader, Yair Lapid, described the disturbing scenes as further reason to extend the ceasefire and secure the release of all remaining hostages.
Responding to concerns over the hostages’ health, Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, claimed they had “made efforts to preserve their lives despite the (Israeli) bombardment.”
Many of the Palestinian prisoners released have also shown signs of mistreatment, with several alleging abuse during their time in Israeli custody.
Meanwhile, a proposal by United States President, Donald Trump to relocate the Palestinian population out of Gaza sparked fresh controversy.
While the suggestion was welcomed by Israel, it drew widespread rejection from Palestinians and the global community. Rights groups argued that such a move would violate international law.
Under the current truce, 33 hostages and around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners are set to be released. The agreement also includes the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and increased humanitarian aid to the war-torn territory. Israel confirmed that eight of the 33 hostages have died.
This weekend’s exchange marked the fifth round of hostage-for-prisoner swaps since the truce began.
So far, 21 hostages, including five Thai nationals not counted among the 33 and over 730 Palestinian prisoners have been freed.
Among the three men released on Saturday, Sharabi and Ben Ami were abducted from Kibbutz Beeri, one of the hardest-hit communities, while Levy was taken from the Nova music festival.
Sharabi lost his wife and two teenage daughters in the attack. His brother, Yossi, who was also abducted, later died in captivity. Levy’s wife was killed during the attack, and his three-year-old son has been cared for by relatives.
It remains unclear if Sharabi and Levy have been informed of the tragic fate of their families.
Ben Ami, a father of three, was kidnapped with his wife, Raz, who was freed during a November 2023 ceasefire that resulted in the release of over 100 hostages.
Relatives of the newly released hostages erupted in cheers, tears, and applause while watching the emotional footage.
Michael Levy, Or’s brother, recalled how he broke the news to his young nephew: “Mogi, we found daddy,” he said, using the boy’s nickname. “We haven’t seen happiness like that in him for a long time.”
Among the Palestinian prisoners released were 18 serving life sentences for deadly attacks, 54 serving long-term sentences, and 111 detained after the October 7 attack but not yet tried. They were all men aged between 20 and 61.
Notably, Iyad Abu Shakhdam, imprisoned for nearly 21 years for involvement in deadly attacks during the early 2000s, was among those freed. He was part of the 2004 suicide bus bombing in Beersheba that killed 16 Israelis, including a four-year-old child.
Also released was Jamal al-Tawil, a prominent Hamas politician from the West Bank who had been arrested multiple times since the early 2000s.
His most recent detention was in 2021 for allegedly participating in violent riots and consolidating Hamas’ influence in the West Bank.
The fate of the ceasefire’s second phase remains uncertain. It hinges on delicate negotiations that could extend the truce indefinitely in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages.
However, if no agreement is reached, the war could resume as early as March.
Israel remains resolute in its goal to dismantle Hamas, despite the fragile truce. A key far-right member of Netanyahu’s coalition has already called for an immediate return to full-scale military operations.
Hamas, for its part, has demanded an end to the war and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza before releasing more hostages.
In the brutal October 7 attack, over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed. Since then, more than 47,000 Palestinians, half of them women and children have lost their lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israel, however, claims to have killed over 17,000 militants, attributing civilian casualties to Hamas’ use of residential areas for military operations.
Several of the released prisoners were transferred to Egypt for deportation, while others were taken to Ramallah, where they were greeted by cheering crowds. Some, too weak to walk, were carried off buses and transported to waiting ambulances.
