Three Israelis released by Hamas in Gaza as part of ceasefire deal – along with five Thai hostages
Hamas has handed over three Israelis and five foreign nationals in chaotic scenes at multiple locations in Gaza, as part of the latest phase of a fragile ceasefire deal.
Arbel Behoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, 80, both civilians and Israeli female soldier Agam Berger, 20 were released amid massive crowds in the north and the south of the Gaza Strip. Later the Israeli military said together with five foreign nationals, they were being accompanied by Israeli forces to Israel for medical assessments.
The five foreigners were not identified but are believed to be Thai nationals. More than 30 Thai farm workers taken hostage on 7 October. Israel is later expected to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners, in the third such exchange since fighting paused earlier this month.
Crowds of Palestinians in the southern city of Khan Younis swarmed heavily armed militants as they fought through the scrum to deliver a visibly shaken Ms Yehoud, 29, to Red Cross vehicles.
There appeared to be no live images of Mr Moses’ release – he is among the oldest remaining hostages in Gaza. His family members told The Independent last week he suffered from numerous medical issues. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the chaotic cenes of Ms Yehoud’s release “shocking”.
“I demand that the mediators make certain that such terrible scenes do not recur, and guarantee the safety of our hostages. Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.”
Earlier in Jabalia, northern Gaza, Ms Berger, 20, a military observer, was filmed emerging from a heavily damaged building in northern Gaza, before walking onto a stage where she waved at the crowd. A video from Ms Berger’s family home showed dozens of people celebrating as they watched her being released.
“This is the happiest moment of my life,” one of Ms Berger’s relatives told Israeli outlet Channel 12. “Now we can breathe again.”
Ms Berger’s family said in a statement: “Thank God we have reached this moment, and our hero Agam has returned to us after 482 days in enemy hands.”
There was official word on the identity of the Thai nationals, who were among those slated to be released. Wiwwaeo Sriaoun, the mother of one of the remaining Thai hostages earlier AFP on Thursday she was “nervous” and hope her son will be among those freed.
At Hostages Square, a rallying point in Tel Aviv, a group representing those held in Gaza said crowds were “watching in horror the pictures of Arbel Yehud surrounded by a massive unruly mob in Gaza”.
They clutched around huge screens playing the live images from Gaza with anxiety.
Around 1,200 people were killed during Hamas’s bloody assault according to the Israelis, while 251 more, including the eight released today, were taken hostage.
Israel’s retaliatory air and ground offensive in Gaza in the 15 months since that Hamas attack has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, and displaced nearly 2 million people.
