Six Israeli hostages released ahead of the liberation of Palestinian prisoners

Hamas has published six more hostages in Gaza, in exchange for 602 Palestinian prisoners to be released later on Saturday.

The published hostages included four kidnapped during the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 against Israel – Tal Shham, Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert.

The other two liberated men, Avera Mengistu and Hisham Al-Sayed, have been held in Gaza for years, Mr. Mengistu since 2014 and Mr. Al-Sayed since 2015.

The six are the final hostages that are still alive to be returned as part of the first phase of a high fire agreement that will end next Saturday. Israel and Hamas have not yet accepted the terms of a second phase.

Later, on Saturday, 602 Palestinian prisoners are ready to be released, most of which were arrested after the attack of October 7, 2023.

The BBC understands that those released will include 50 prisoners who comply with life imprisonment and 60 with high sentences, according to a statement from the Palestinian Prison Media Office.

The most hostage bodies are expected to be transferred to Israel next week in what is supposed to be the final step in the first phase of high fire.

Hamas there are still 59 hostages, about half of which are believed to be alive. More will be released in the next phase of the high three -stage fire between Israel and Hamas, which is scheduled to begin on March 1.

Hamas began to release hostages, facilitated by the Red Cross, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in January. The initial chaotic scenes become more choreographed, with hostages flanked by combatants on stage before transfers.

Shoham, 40, and Mr. Mengistu, 39, were passed to the Rafah Rafah, South Gaza before being transferred to the Israel Defense Forces (FDI).

Shoham was visiting the family in Kibbutz Be’eri in October 2023 when he and others, including his wife and two children, were kidnapped by Hamas. The captured family members were released after 50 days.

In a statement, his family said: “This is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions mix rapidly. Our such is with us.”

Mengistu, who is Ethiopian-Israeli, had been celebrated by Hamas since September 2014 when he crossed North Gaza.

He and Mr. Al-Sayed, an Arab Israeli Beduino who entered Gaza in 2015, had suffered mental health problems in the past, according to their families.

After his release, Mr. Mengistu’s family said they had suffered “10 years and five months of unimaginable suffering.”

Separate, in Nuseirat in the center of Gaza, Mr. Shem Tov, 22, Mr. Cohen, 27, and Mr. Wenkert, 23, were released in another public show by Hamas.

The three were taken captive at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023.

Mr. Shem Tov had initially escaped by car when Hamas fighters descended at the festival, but was captured when he rescued his friends again.

Cohen had hidden with his girlfriend, Ziv Abud, in a shelter at the festival, but was discovered and expelled. The shelter was bombarded, but Mrs. Abud survived and escaped.

Wenkert managed to send text messages to his family when the festival attendees were attacked, to tell them that he was going to a safe shelter, but lost contact with him.

Mr. Al-Sayed was released privately in the city of Gaza later on Saturday.

The crowds in Tel Aviv’s hostage square greeted public releases with cheers while they saw them develop in a live diet.

The families that celebrate the return of the six men asked that all the remaining hostages be released.

“Our only request is to take this window of opportunity to ensure an agreement that … returns to all hostages home,” said Mr. Shoham’s family.

The remaining hostages include Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American soldier, 21, captured on October 7.

His mother, Yael Alexander, who was seeing the launch of hostages on Saturday, told the BBC that it was “incredible” to see them freed, but for his family he is “very hard” waiting.

“There are more than dozen young men, like my son, who are still released,” he said. “This is the main objective, freeing people live now from Gaza.”

The happy scenes of Saturday contrasted earlier this week, when the bodies of the Hostages Shiri Bibas, their two young children and another captive Oded Lifschitz were returned to Israel.