GAZA: On Saturday, Israel geared up to accept six additional hostages from Gaza as part of a larger exchange involving hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. This development comes amid tensions following accusations regarding the return of a misidentified body earlier this week, which risked undermining the delicate ceasefire agreement.
The six, the last living hostages from a group of 33 due to be freed in the first stage of the ceasefire deal agreed last month, were expected to be handed over at around 8.30 a.m. (0630 GMT), according to officials from the militant group Hamas.
Four hostages—Eliya Cohen (27), Tal Shoham (40), Omer Shem Tov (22), and Omer Wenkert (23)—were captured by Hamas gunmen during their assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. Additionally, Hisham Al-Sayed (36) and Avera Mengistu (39) have been in Hamas captivity for nearly a decade after crossing into Gaza under unclear circumstances.
In return, Israel is expected to release 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in its jails in the latest stage of an exchange that has held up despite a series of problems that have come close to sinking it on different occasions.
