Six Israeli hostages freed ahead of Palestinian prisoner release

Hamas has released six more hostages held in Gaza, in exchange for 602 Palestinian prisoners to be freed later on Saturday.

The released hostages included four kidnapped during the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel – Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert.

The two other men freed, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, have been held in Gaza for years – Mr Mengistu since 2014 and Mr al-Sayed since 2015.

The six are the final hostages still alive to be returned as part of the first phase of a ceasefire deal set to end next Saturday. Israel and Hamas have yet to agree the terms of a second phase.

Later on Saturday, 602 Palestinian prisoners are set to be released, the majority of whom were detained after the 7 October 2023 attack.

The BBC understands those released will include 50 prisoners serving life sentences and 60 with high sentences, according to a Palestinian prisoners’ media office statement.

The bodies of four more hostages are expected to be transferred to Israel next week in what is supposed to be the final step in the first phase of the ceasefire.

There are 59 hostages still held by Hamas, around half of whom are believed to be alive. More are set to be freed in the next phase of the three-stage ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which is scheduled to start on 1 March.

Hamas began releasing hostages, facilitated by the Red Cross, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in January. Initial chaotic scenes become more choreographed, with hostages flanked by fighters on stages before the handovers.

Mr Shoham, 40, and Mr Mengistu, 39, were passed to the Red Cross in Rafah, south Gaza before being transferred to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Mr Shoham was visiting family at Kibbutz Be’eri in October 2023 when he and others, including his wife and two children, were kidnapped by Hamas. His captured family members were released after 50 days.

In a statement, his family said: “This is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing together. Our Tal is with us.”

Mr Mengistu, who is Ethiopian-Israeli, had been held by Hamas since September 2014 when he crossed into north Gaza.

He and Mr al-Sayed, a Bedouin Arab Israeli who entered Gaza in 2015, had both suffered with mental health problems in the past, according to their families.

Following his release, Mr Mengistu’s family said they had endured “10 years and five months of unimaginable suffering”.

Separately, at Nuseirat in central Gaza, Mr Shem Tov, 22, Mr Cohen, 27, and Mr Wenkert, 23, were freed in another public show by Hamas.

All three were taken captive at the Nova music festival on 7 October 2023.

Mr Shem Tov had initially escaped by car when Hamas fighters descended on the festival, but was captured when he went back to rescue his friends.

Mr Cohen had hid with his girlfriend, Ziv Abud, in a shelter at the festival, but was discovered and driven away. The shelter was bombed, but Ms Abud survived and escaped.

Mr Wenkert managed to send text messages to his family when festival-goers were being attacked, to tell them he was going to a safe shelter, but they lost contact with him.

Mr al-Sayed was released privately in Gaza City later on Saturday.

Crowds in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square greeted the public releases with cheers as they watched them unfold on a live feed.

Families celebrating the return of the six men called for all remaining hostages to be released.

“Our only request is to seize this window of opportunity to secure a deal that will… return all hostages home,” Mr Shoham’s family said.

Remaining hostages include Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier captured on 7 October.

His mother, Yael Alexander, who was watching Saturday’s hostage release, told the BBC it was “amazing” to see them freed, but for her family it is “very tough” waiting.

“There are more than dozens of young men alive, like my son, still waiting to be released,” she said. “This is the main goal, to release the live people now from Gaza.”

Saturday’s joyful scenes contrasted with earlier this week, when the bodies of hostages Shiri Bibas, her two young sons and another captive Oded Lifschitz were returned to Israel.