Three Israeli Hostages Set for Release; Hamas Changes Location of Exchange
Three Israeli hostages—Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi, and Or Levy—are set for release Saturday as Hamas stages a new exchange site in Deir al-Balah * This is a developing story
Three Israeli hostages are set to be released from Hamas captivity this morning, a day after the terror group named them in a delayed announcement. The Prime Minister’s Office and the Hostages Families Forum have confirmed that the hostages—Ohad Ben Ami (56), Eli Sharabi (52), and Or Levy (34)—are slated to begin their release imminently Saturday morning. According to reports, Hamas has begun setting up a stage in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah where the upcoming hostage release is expected to take place—a change in location for the releases, with the terrorist group now staging the event at a newly designated site.
The stage features a sign with a raised fist carrying a Palestinian flag, with the words “total victory” inscribed in Hebrew beneath a picture of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who has vowed that the war will not end until Israel achieves “total victory.” Masked and armed Hamas gunmen have been observed surrounding the site, although it remains unclear whether the three hostages will be released from a single location or multiple sites.
Meanwhile, the families of the captives have been anxiously awaiting their return, some of them enduring months of heartbreaking loss and uncertainty. Sharabi, 52, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, the day of Hamas’ deadly assault on southern Israel. His wife and daughters were murdered in their home’s safe room, and he and his brother Yossi were taken captive. Yossi has since been confirmed dead, with Hamas still holding his body.
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Levy, 34, was taken from the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, where Hamas gunmen killed hundreds of attendees. His wife, Einav, was murdered in the attack, leaving their now three-year-old son, Almog, in the care of his grandparents. For 16 months, Almog has been told that his father was missing and being searched for. Ben Ami was also kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri, along with his wife, Raz, who was released last November during an earlier ceasefire agreement. Their daughters campaigned tirelessly for their father’s return, and their reactions to the news went viral, showing them joyfully piling on top of each other and exclaiming, “Dad’s coming home!”
Under the current agreement, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages in phases in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners, including 737 serving life sentences for terrorism-related offenses. As part of this phase of the deal, Israel is set to release 183 Palestinian detainees, among them 18 prisoners serving life terms and others sentenced to decades in prison. So far, 13 out of 33 hostages scheduled for release in the first 42-day phase of the deal have returned home, along with five Thai hostages. In return, Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations for a second phase—which is intended to secure the release of an additional 60 hostages and include plans for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza—are ongoing, with an Israeli negotiating team expected to travel to Doha soon.
This is a developing story…
