GAZA: Hamas released six hostages Saturday (22nd Feb, 2025) but Israel, accusing Hamas of repeated violations such as humiliating handover ceremonies, said it was delaying the release of 602 prisoners.
In the 7th swap Hamas was supposed to handover six live and four dead hostages in exchange for 602 Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli gaols (including 50 incarcerated for life, 60 with high sentences & 47 who were re-arrested after the 2011 Shalit Deal).
Forty-year-old Tal Shoham was released by Hamas on 22nd February in the 7th swap of prisoners and hostages. His family members were taken to Gaza from Kibbutz too but his wife, Adi, their two young children, and his mother-in-law, Dr Shosham Haran were released in the month of Nov 2023. According to Israel Dr Haran’s husband, Avshalom, died during the 7 October attack.
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Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu, who was released on 22nd Feb 2025, was captured by Hamas in 2014. Red Cross handed him over to IDF that informed that he was taken to the hospital, by means of an IAF helicopter, accompanied by family members.
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22-year-old Omer Shem Tov
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27-year-old Eliya Cohen, 23-year-old restaurant manager Omer Wenkert and Hisham al-Syed (Muslim, Bedouin Arab Israeli) were also released
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Sixth Swap: Hamas has handed over three hostages (29-year-old Russian-Israeli Alexander Troufanov; 46-year-old Argentine-Israeli Yair Horn; and 36-year-old American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen) to the Red Cross on 15th Feb, 2025.
369 Palestinians, who were released from Israeli prisons in the 6th swap included 333 who were incarcerated sans any charge. 36 were serving life sentences. According to Red Cross 5 released Palestinian prisoners were transported to a medical facility.
Fifth Swap: While Trump is talking of transforming the Strip into Riviera relocating all the Gazans, Hamas, on 8th Feb 2025 according to ceasefire agreement, released 3 hostages Eli Sharabi (52), Ohad Ben Ami (56), and Or Levy (34) whose wife, Einav Levy, was killed during the 7th Oct attack.
Fourth Swap: Hamas on 1st Feb 2025 handed over 3 hostages (Yarden Bibas, 34, Ofer Kalderon, 53, and Keith Siegel, 65) held here, to Red Cross in exchange for 183 Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli gaols. [Meanwhile, the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt (that remained closed for 8 months) was opened enabling 50 patients to cross in order to access medical treatment.]
Third Swap: As part of Ceasefire Agreement Hamas had handed over three Israeli and five Thai hostages to Red Cross here 30th Jan, Israel reciprocated by liberating 110 Palestinians from its jails.
Second Swap: Hamas freed four female soldier hostages (Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Naama Levy and Karina Ariev) in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in Israel on 25th Jan under the Ceasefire Deal.
First Swap: The first 3 female hostages, [Doron Steinbrecher (31), British-Israeli Emily Damari (28), and Romi Gonen (24)], freed by Hamas on 19th Jan, were taken to Sheba Hospital as soon as Hamas handed them over to Red Cross. They are back in Israel.
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