hamas-frees-three-israeli-captives-in-prisoner-swap

Hamas announced on Saturday that it released three Israeli hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

 

The swap, which took place in the morning, marked the fifth such exchange under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The released Israelis included Eli Sharabi, 52, Or Levy, 34, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56. Sharabi and Ben Ami were taken from Kibbutz Be'eri during the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on southern Israel, while Levy was abducted from the Nova music festival.

In return, Israel freed 183 male Palestinian prisoners, aged between 20 and 61, including senior Hamas figure Iyad Abu Shakhdam, who had served nearly 21 years for his role in past attacks.

 

Seven released detainees are set to be transferred to Egypt for deportation.

The ceasefire’s first phase, scheduled to last 42 days, includes the release of 33 Israeli captives in exchange for over 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

 

So far, 18 Israeli hostages and 550 Palestinian prisoners have been swapped.

However, negotiators have expressed concerns that US President Donald Trump's recent proposal to temporarily displace Gaza residents may complicate the second phase of the agreement, which involves the release of remaining captives and a potential lasting truce.

Also read: US envoy confirms Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon by Feb 18