Hamas Announces Names of Israeli Hostages Set for Release

Stay updated as Hamas reveals the identities of the next Israeli hostages scheduled for release amid ongoing negotiations and international pressure.

Hamas has announced the names of four hostages who will be released on Saturday as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The individuals identified as soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—are set to be released in a swap involving 180 Palestinian prisoners currently detained in Israel.

This will be the second exchange of its kind since the ceasefire began last Sunday.

In the initial exchange, three hostages and 90 prisoners were freed.

The ceasefire brought an end to the conflict that started when Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Approximately 1,200 individuals lost their lives and 251 were taken as hostages back to Gaza.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, managed by Hamas, over 47,200 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive. Most of these casualties are civilians.

Hamas is also anticipated to share details about the remaining 26 hostages scheduled for release over the next five weeks.

This includes the Bibas family, consisting of two parents and two children. One of the children, Kfir, was only 10 months old when taken captive and is currently the youngest hostage. It’s uncertain whether this information will disclose names or merely indicate how many hostages are alive or deceased.

The prisoners set for release belong to a more serious category compared to those released in the initial exchange. Among them are individuals convicted of killing, with some serving sentences exceeding 15 years.

Israel has firmly stated that anyone involved in the attacks on October 7 will not be released.

Ariev, Gilboa, Levy, and Albag were captured at the Nahal Oz military base when it was overrun by Hamas gunmen. Video footage depicted them among a group of women with their hands bound behind their backs. They appeared to be pleading for assistance while being mocked by their captors.

The women belonged to a unit that monitored the Israel-Gaza border.

Three weeks ago, Hamas released a video featuring 19-year-old Albag urging the Israeli government to negotiate an agreement.

After months of indirect negotiations led by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas.

The implementation will occur in three phases, with the second phase scheduled to start six weeks after the truce’s initiation. During the first phase, approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners are set to be released in exchange for 33 hostages. Israeli forces will also commence their withdrawal from Gaza positions, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to areas they had either fled or been forced out of.

The aim of the ceasefire is to pave the way for a lasting resolution to the conflict in Gaza.

As of now, 91 hostages taken on October 7, 2023, are still being held in Gaza. Israel believes that 57 of them remain alive. Additionally, three others have been detained for ten years or more; two among them are confirmed to be alive.

As part of the latest ceasefire and hostage release deal, three Israeli women who were held captive have been set free.

Romi Gonen, aged 24, was apprehended while attempting to flee from the Nova music festival when it became a target of the militant group’s attack on October 7, 2023.

She has been released along with Doron Steinbrecher, a 31-year-old veterinary nurse, and Emily Damari, a 28-year-old dual British-Israeli national.

On Sunday, all three individuals returned to Israel after being released by Hamas in Gaza and were reunited with their families.