GAZA/JERUSALEM/CAIRO. Palestinian militant group Hamas released three Israeli hostages on Saturday, whose frail and gaunt appearance deeply shocked the Israeli public. In response, Israel began freeing dozens of Palestinian prisoners as part of an ongoing ceasefire aimed at ending the prolonged war in Gaza.
Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and Or Levy, taken from the Nova music festival that same day, were led onto a Hamas-controlled podium by armed militants.
Appearing pale, weak, and malnourished, the three men seemed to be in a far worse condition than the 18 other hostages released under the truce agreement in January.
“He looked like a skeleton, it was awful to see,” Michal Cohen, the mother-in-law of Ohad Ben Ami, told Channel 13 News as she watched the Hamas-directed handover ceremony. The event featured the hostages answering questions from a masked man while militants wielding automatic rifles flanked them.
In another public display of force, Hamas militants patrolled central Gaza as hostages were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The hostages were subsequently transported in ICRC vehicles to Israeli forces, where they were reunited with their families before being flown to hospitals for medical evaluations.
“We missed you so much,” Geula Levy, the mother of Or Levy, tearfully said as she embraced her son.
Israel Condemns Hamas Display, Hostage Families Demand Action
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed outrage over the sight of the frail hostages, vowing to address the situation.
President Isaac Herzog condemned the release ceremony, calling it “cynical and vicious,” adding, “This is what a crime against humanity looks like.”
The Hostage Families Forum likened the hostages’ condition to that of Holocaust survivors, stating, “We have to get ALL THE HOSTAGES out of hell.”
Palestinian Prisoner Exchange
In return for the hostages’ release, Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners, including individuals convicted of attacks that killed dozens, as well as 111 detainees captured in Gaza during the war.
Cheering crowds greeted the arriving buses in Gaza, with families embracing the freed detainees. Some prisoners were seen weeping with joy, tearing off their prison-issued bracelets.
Among those released in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank was Eyad Abu Shkaidem, who had been sentenced to 18 life terms in Israel for orchestrating suicide attacks in retaliation for the 2004 assassinations of Hamas leaders.
“Today, I am reborn,” Shkaidem declared as supporters cheered.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that six of the 42 prisoners released in the West Bank were in poor health and required hospitalization. Some detainees also alleged mistreatment. “The occupation humiliated us for over a year,” Shkaidem said.
Painful Reunions for Freed Hostages
For some released hostages, the return home carried profound grief. Eli Sharabi’s British-born wife and two teenage daughters were killed in the October 7 Hamas attack on Kibbutz Be’eri, where one in ten residents perished. Israeli Channel 12 reported that Sharabi was unaware of their deaths and inquired about them upon his return.
Or Levy, meanwhile, was reunited with his three-year-old son. His wife was among the victims of the attack.
Dr. Hagar Mizrachi of Ichilov Hospital in Israel confirmed that the released hostages exhibited severe weight loss and signs of prolonged malnutrition.
Ceasefire Holds, But Uncertainty Remains
Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages have been released, along with 583 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The 42-day truce, brokered by Washington, Cairo, and Doha, has largely held, but concerns are growing that the fragile agreement may collapse before all remaining 76 hostages are freed.
Adding to the tension, former U.S. President Donald Trump recently proposed relocating Palestinians from Gaza and handing the territory over to the United States to develop it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The plan was widely rejected by Arab states and Palestinian groups, who denounced it as a form of ethnic cleansing. Hamas responded by emphasizing that its armed presence at the hostage handover demonstrated its continued influence over post-war Gaza arrangements.
Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s remarks, while Israel’s defense minister has directed the military to draft plans allowing Palestinians who wish to leave Gaza to do so.
Future Negotiations Underway
Under the current ceasefire deal, 33 Israeli children, women, and vulnerable individuals—including the sick, wounded, and elderly—are set to be released in the first phase, in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Negotiations for a second phase have begun, focusing on securing the release of the remaining hostages and planning for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in pursuit of a final resolution to the war.
Hamas’ October 7 attack resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 people taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. The Israeli military’s subsequent offensive in Gaza has led to over 47,000 Palestinian deaths, according to health authorities in the enclave, and has caused extensive devastation.
With tensions still high and a fragile ceasefire in place, the world watches as negotiations unfold, shaping the future of the conflict and the lives of those caught in its crossfire.
