The latest exchange of prisoners between Israel and Hamas is taking place in Gaza. In the seventh round, Hamas is releasing six Israeli captives instead of three. Initially, two captives were handed over to the Red Cross in Rafah, in the north of Gaza. Three hostages were ceremoniously released in Nuseirat. One of the captives here kissed a member of Hamas’ military wing, the Kassam Brigades, on the forehead. The latest exchange of prisoners between Israel and Hamas is taking place today.
In the seventh prisoner exchange, Hamas will release 6 Israeli captives instead of 3.
The names of the captives to be handed over to the Red Cross are as follows: Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, Tal Shoham, Omer Wenkert, Hisham al-Sayed, and Avera Mengisto.
Initially, Shoham and Mengisto were handed over to the Red Cross in Rafah. Israeli media claimed that Sayed and Mengistu had been held hostage in Gaza for over 10 years.
The other three hostages were released in Nuseirat. It drew attention that one of the captives kissed a Kassam Brigades fighter on the forehead while being released. Hamas stated that it is ready to move to the second phase, to make a comprehensive exchange agreement, to a permanent ceasefire, and for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza.
In exchange for the Israeli captives, 602 Palestinian prisoners will be released from jails.
Officials emphasize the vital importance of the seventh hostage exchange, scheduled to take place today, proceeding according to plan.
Hamas has so far turned over 22 Israeli captives as part of the hostage exchange, 19 of whom were alive and 3 deceased. The group handed over the lifeless bodies of four captives to Israel the other day under the hostage and prisoner exchange agreement.
The Israeli army claimed that one of the handed over bodies did not belong to Shiri Bibas, alleging this was a “very serious violation” of the ceasefire agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will make Hamas pay for the violation.
Hamas responded to the allegations by stating that the remains of the Israeli captive Shiri Bibas appeared to have been mixed with other human remains found in the debris following an Israeli airstrike hitting Bibas’ location. The Palestinian group later handed over Bibas’s remains to Israel, with Israel confirming the identification of Bibas.