Hamas militants released three Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire agreement that has paused the war in the Gaza Strip. The emaciated condition of the hostages has sparked outrage in Israel, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend the truce.
The hostages, identified as Eli Sharabi, 52, Ohad Ben Ami, 56, and Or Levy, 34, were brought before a crowd by armed Hamas fighters and made to give public statements before being handed over to the Red Cross. The three men were among roughly 250 people abducted during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war.
Their frail condition was noticeably worse than that of the 18 hostages released earlier in the ceasefire, which began on January 19.
Later Saturday, Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners, including individuals who appeared weak and malnourished. The Red Crescent reported that seven of those released were taken to hospitals for treatment.
The Palestinian prisoners included 18 serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis, 54 with long-term sentences, and 111 from Gaza who had been detained after the October 7 attack but had not been formally charged.
Israeli officials condemned Hamas for forcing the hostages to speak in a public ceremony. Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostage affairs, said the government views “Hamas’ repeated violations with great severity, and the condition of the three hostages with even greater severity.”
The condition of the hostages has fueled calls for an extension of the ceasefire. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said the “difficult scenes” reinforced the need to bring more hostages home.
Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, claimed it “made efforts to preserve their lives despite the (Israeli) bombardment.”
The current truce agreement calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, and increased humanitarian aid. Israel reports that Hamas has confirmed eight of the 33 hostages are deceased.
Negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire remain uncertain. Hamas demands an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in exchange for releasing the remaining hostages. Israel, however, remains committed to dismantling Hamas.
Since October 7, around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Hamas’ attack on Israel. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 47,000 Palestinian deaths from Israeli military operations, over half of them women and children. Israel claims to have killed over 17,000 militants but has not provided evidence.
