News / Palestine

Hamas releases three Israeli captives; Israel to free 183 Palestinian prisoners

Saturday, 08 February 2025 11:03 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 08 February 2025 11:03 AM ]

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has released three Israeli captives as part of the fifth phase of the prisoner exchange deal under the ceasefire agreement with the occupying Tel Aviv regime that took effect on January 19.

Masked fighters from the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, on Saturday handed over the trio to the members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Eli Sharabi, 52, Or Levy, 34, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, were freed from a location in the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

A stage was set up in the city and the ICRC and Qassam Brigades vehicles were at the scene.

Armed fighters were controlling and monitoring the area, and one delivered a brief speech on a stage as three Israeli captives were brought out of vehicles.

In exchange, Israeli authorities are going to release 183 Palestinian abductees from Israeli prisons and detention centers.

Read more:

Israel releases 183 Palestinian prisoners as Hamas condemns ‘torture, abuse’

Ben Ami and Sharabi were both taken from the Be’eri settlement in the southern part of the Israeli-occupied territories during the surprise and large-scale attack by Hamas and other Gaza-based resistance groups against the Zionist entity on October 7. 2023.

Levy was attending the Nova Music Festival and was taken captive that day.

According to a statement by the Israeli army, the freed captives have crossed into occupied territories accompanied by Israeli military and intelligence officers.

They are now on their way to a facility near the Gaza fence for an initial medical check and identification confirmation.

They’ll be reunited with immediate family members there, and then flown via helicopter to a hospital in Tel Aviv to meet other relatives.

The Gaza ceasefire deal began on January 19 intending to end the 15-month Israeli war on Gaza and free captives still held in the blockaded territory in return for hundreds of Palestinian abductees.

Israel has released a list of more than 700 Palestinian abductees to be released under the deal. More than 230 abductees are serving life sentences and will be permanently sent to exile upon their release.

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