Gaza hostage release: Eight Israelis and Thais freed

Eight hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have been released as part of the ceasefire deal with Israel, including three Israelis and five Thai nationals, the BBC via Reuters reported.
They were handed over to the Red Cross and then transferred to Israel. In exchange, 110 Palestinian prisoners were freed, including 32 serving life sentences and 30 minors.
Israel delayed their release in response to how the hostages were treated during the handover. Since the ceasefire began on January 19th, 15 hostages have been freed, while 82 remain captive.
Among those released was 20-year-old Israeli soldier Agam Berger, led by masked gunmen through rubble in Jabalia. Crowds were kept back by Hamas fighters as she was given a certificate before being handed to the Red Cross.
Berger was one of seven unarmed female observers kidnapped on October 7th 2023 and the last remaining in Gaza. In Tel Aviv’s hostages square crowds cheered as they watched her release on a big screen.
Two hours later, in Khan Younis, the other seven hostages were handed over. Armed fighters led them through crowds cheering and filming with mobile phones.
The handover symbolically took place in front of the bombed remains of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s home. Sinwar, the architect of the October 7th attacks, was killed by Israeli troops in Rafah during October 2024. A journalist covering the event told the BBC that “there was a lot of chaos” and chants of Sinwar’s name and for Hamas.
The freed hostages included Israelis Arbel Yehud, 29, as well as Gadi Moses, 80, along with Thai agricultural workers Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Seathao, and Surasak Lamnao.
Israel briefly paused the release of Palestinian prisoners, until it got assurances that future hostage handovers would not come with the scenes found during the liberation of hostages in Khan Younis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the “shocking scenes” as “proof of the inconceivable brutality of the Hamas terrorist organisation.”
The ceasefire process has faced delays. Despite public approval in Israel, prominent politicians within the country have openly opposed the ceasefire deal.
Israel previously postponed the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza after Hamas failed to release Arbel Yehud on January 25th.
On October 7th 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people. Israel’s 15-month military campaign has killed 47,460 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Before January 30th, 290 Palestinian prisoners had been freed under the ceasefire, including individuals convicted of bombings and teenagers held without charge.
The majority have returned to the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, while around 70 of the most serious offenders have faced deportation.
BBC via Reuters