Palestinian militant group Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian detainees and prisoners in the latest stage of a ceasefire deal aimed at opening the way to ending the 15-month war in Gaza, APA reports citing SBS News.
Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, both taken hostage from Kibbutz Be'eri during the cross-border Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, and Or Levy, abducted that day from the Nova music festival, will be handed over on Saturday, Hamas said.
In exchange, Israel will release 183 Palestinian prisoners, some convicted of involvement in attacks that killed dozens of people and including 18 serving life sentences and 111 detained in Gaza during the war, according to Hamas.
Dozens of masked and armed Hamas fighters deployed in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, at the site of the exchange, where hostages were handed over to the International Red Cross Committee, which is transporting them to Israeli forces in Gaza.
"I can't even start to describe the emotions, the excitement, how happy we are that it's finally close to be over," said Michael Levy, brother of Or Levy, who lost his wife in the October 7 attack and has a three-year-old son.
"We are waiting to hug him, waiting to see Almog (Levy's son), hugging his father again."
***11:35***
Hamas said it would release three Israelis on Saturday in the fifth hostage-prisoner swap between the militants and Israel as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal, in exchange for 183 prisoners to be freed from Israeli jails, APA reports citing France24.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that after completing the swap, an Israeli delegation will head to Doha for further negotiations on the ceasefire.
The latest exchange comes amid backlash over US President Donald Trump's proposal for a US takeover of Gaza, which has triggered an uproar across the region and beyond.
The three men set to be released on Saturday are Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami, according to Hamas. Their names were confirmed by Netanyahu's office.
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