Fifth phase: Hamas releases three Israeli hostages

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released three Israeli hostages from Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza, according to a Hamas source.

The hostages were identified as Eliyahu Datson Yosef Sharabi, Or Abraham Lisha Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami. The source stated that two of them are elderly, while the third is either injured or suffering from a medical condition.

This marks the first hostage release in central Gaza, an area that has not witnessed a ground incursion by Israeli forces since the beginning of the ongoing military offensive. Reports from Deir al-Balah described a heavy presence of Al-Qassam Brigade fighters, seen in full military gear and armed with heavy weaponry, while armored vehicles with mounted machine guns patrolled the streets.

Following their release, the hostages will be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross before being transferred to an Israeli military facility near Re’im. There, they will undergo physical and psychological evaluations before being reunited with their families.

This exchange is part of an ongoing prisoner swap agreement, mediated by Egypt and Qatar with US support. It follows four previous swaps under the ceasefire agreement. In the first phase, Hamas released 13 Israeli hostages and 12 foreign nationals, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners. The second exchange saw 10 Israeli hostages and several foreign nationals freed in return for 42 Palestinian detainees. In the third round, Hamas released three Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals, with Israel responding by freeing 110 Palestinian prisoners. In the fourth swap, Hamas released three Israeli captives, while Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners.

Earlier today, the Palestinian Prisoners' Information Office announced that the exchange will include 183 Palestinian detainees, consisting of 18 serving life sentences, 54 with long-term sentences, and 111 from Gaza, arrested after October 7.

Among those set for release is Hatem Al-Jayousi, co-founder of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, who is serving six life sentences for his role in attacks during the Second Intifada. Other prominent prisoners include Shadi Al-Barghouti, convicted of attacks inside Israel and serving 27 years, and Jamal Al-Tawil, a senior Hamas leader arrested in 2021 for allegedly reorganizing Hamas activities in the West Bank.

The ongoing prisoner exchanges have been marked by diplomatic disputes. Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by blocking humanitarian aid and other supplies into Gaza. Hamas officials claimed they may be unable to return the remains of some captives due to Israeli restrictions on heavy excavation equipment, making it difficult to recover bodies trapped under the rubble.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports that 47,583 people have been killed and 111,633 injured in Israeli military operations. The Government Media Office in Gaza has raised the estimated death toll to over 61,709, stating that thousands remain missing under the rubble. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed in the October 7 attack, with more than 200 taken hostage.