Palestinian militants freed two Israeli hostages on Saturday. The Israeli military said that Israeli security forces had apprehended the individuals who were released on Saturday and returned them to Israeli territory. The hostages were released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement that began on January 19.
Sources close to Hamas said that preparations are underway to release four other of the last surviving prisoners eligible for release under the first phase of the ceasefire as well as on Saturday. Tal Shoham and Eweru Mengistu, who were released by militants on Saturday, were taken to a stage in Rafah, southern Gaza, where Lagisoham addressed a gathering attended by armed and masked militants dressed in black, and both were then handed over to the Red Cross.
Palestinian militants captured dozens of prisoners during an unthinkable attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which led to more than 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip. Four other hostages will be freed in a separate ceremony in central Gaza on Saturday. The Islamist group Hamas will also release four hostages from Nusra in central Gaza on Saturday, a Hamas source told AFP.
The Israeli campaign group The Hostages and Missing Families Forum had released the names of six Israelis to be released. The list included Elia Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert and Hisham al-Sayed, as well as Mengistu and Shoham.
