GAZA CITY, Israel — Hamas has announced the release of three Israeli hostages on Saturday, marking the fifth round of prisoner exchanges under the current ceasefire agreement.
Ohad Ben Ami, 56, Eli Sharabi, 52, and Or Levy, 34, are set to be freed after spending 491 days in captivity, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed on Friday, February 7, 2025.
In exchange, Israel is expected to release 183 Palestinian prisoners from detention.
Hostages and Families React to Scheduled Release
Ben Ami and Sharabi were abducted from their homes in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, during the Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Ben Ami’s wife, Raz Ben Ami, was also taken hostage but was freed in a prior ceasefire deal in November 2023.
Sharabi’s family suffered immense losses—his wife and daughters were killed, while his brother, Yossi Sharabi, was also taken hostage and later died in Gaza, according to the Israeli military. His body has not yet been recovered.
Levy was kidnapped from the Nova music festival, one of the sites of the October 7 attack. His wife, Eynav, was murdered during the assault.
The Kibbutz Be’eri community welcomed the news of the hostages’ impending release but stressed that their relief remains incomplete.
“With the return of Eli and Ohad, we can breathe a sigh of relief, but it will not return to normal until all the hostages return safely to their families, and until all the murdered return for burial,” said kibbutz spokesperson Michal Peikin.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also issued a statement saying, “We have both a sacred duty and moral right to bring all our brothers and sisters home.”
Terms of the Ceasefire Agreement
The ceasefire deal, brokered in Qatar last month, prioritized the release of women, children, the elderly, and sick hostages.
Since the agreement took effect on January 19, Hamas and allied groups have released 18 hostages, including five Thai citizens who were freed outside the parameters of the negotiated deal.
In return, Israel has released 583 Palestinian detainees, a mix of individuals serving life sentences for serious offenses and others, including children, held without formal charges or trial.
The latest exchange will see 183 Palestinian prisoners freed in exchange for the three Israeli hostages. According to Hamas, the group consists of:
- 18 prisoners serving life sentences
- 54 with lesser sentences
- 111 individuals detained in Gaza since October 7, 2023, whose charges remain unclear
The Israeli government has yet to confirm the full list of prisoners expected to be released on Saturday.
Tensions Over Implementation of Ceasefire Agreement
Hamas delayed its Friday night announcement of the latest hostage release, accusing Israel of “continued procrastination and hesitation in implementing the humanitarian protocol of the agreement.”
“The pledges stipulated in the agreement have not been implemented in the specified manner, which exacerbates the suffering” of Palestinians in Gaza, the group said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has reported continued challenges in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, though it noted some improvements.
“Prices have declined, and the distribution of humanitarian supplies within Gaza has become easier following the withdrawal of the Israeli military from urban areas,” a UN report stated.
With the ceasefire deal still in effect, attention now turns to the next phase of negotiations, as both sides face mounting pressure to reach a broader agreement for further hostage releases and a potential long-term resolution to the conflict.
