Two Israeli hostages, including a man held captive for over ten years, have been released by Hamas under the first phase of a fragile ceasefire with Israel.
Tal Shoam, 40, who was seized from Kibbutz Be’eri on 7 October 2023, and Avera Mengistu, who has been held since when he crossed into Gaza in 2014, were both handed over to International Red Cross officials in Rafah, southern Gaza.
The Israeli military said the pair had now crossed into Israel where they were due to meet their families. They are two of six Israeli hostages set to be released on Saturday.
Omer Shem Tov, 22, Eliya Cohen, 27, and Omer Wenkert, 23, who were all seized from the Nova Festival on 7 October 2023, are also set to be freed. The final release is expected to be Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, a Bedouin Arab Israeli man who his family says struggles with mental health challenges. He crossed into Gaza in early April 2015 and has been held by Hamas ever since.
The six Israeli hostages are the final living captives to be freed under phase-one of the fragile ceasefire. Under the agreement, 33 hostages were set to be released under the first phase, which comes to an end at the beginning of March.
The family of Mr Shoham, who was seized alongside his wife Adi, their children Nave, 8, and Yahel, 3, as well as other family members, called his release an “unforgettable moment”. Adi, Nave and Yahel were released during the November 2023 exchange deal.
“At this crucial moment in our lives, our only request is to seize this window of opportunity to secure a deal that will bring fathers back to their children – children need their fathers – and return all hostages home,” they said.
“There is a window of opportunity; we must not miss it,” they added.
The family of Mr Mengistu, said he had endured over a decade of “unimaginable suffering”.
“During this time, there have been continuous efforts to secure his return, with prayers and pleas, some silent, that remained unanswered until today,” they added.
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