Hamas freed two hostages on Saturday in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners as part of the fragile ceasefire agreement with Israel.
The men were identified as Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 39. Video footage showed the two men looking frail and scared as they were taken to a stage in front of a crowd while flanked by masked gunmen. They were handed over to the Red Cross and were on their way to IDF forces.
An additional four hostages – Omer Wenkert, 23; Omer Shem Tov, 22; Hisham Al-Sayed, 36; and Eliya Cohen, 27 – were expected to also be released later Saturday.
The Israeli Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency said in a joint statement that Shoham and Mengistu had crossed into Israel.
“A short while ago, accompanied by IDF and ISA forces, the two returning hostages crossed the border into Israeli territory, and they are currently on their way to an initial reception point in southern Israel, where they will be reunited with members of their families,” the statement said. “The IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are due to be transferred to the Red Cross in the near future.”
Two of the hostages — Mengistu and Al-Sayed — are civilians who have been held since entering Gaza on their own more than a decade ago, long before the war sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel, which prompted military retaliation from Israeli forces.
Shoham’s family said in a statement that his release from Hamas captivity “is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing together.”
“Our Tal is with us. We thank all the people of Israel who stood with us through all the long days of pain and suffering,” the statement said. “During these days, we need privacy for Tal, Adi, and the children. At this crucial moment in our lives, our only request is to seize this window of opportunity to secure a deal that will bring fathers back to their children – children need their fathers – and return all hostages home: the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for eternal rest. There is a window of opportunity; we must not miss it.”
Mengistu’s family also released a statement saying they have “endured ten years and five months of unimaginable suffering.”
“During this time, there have been continuous efforts to secure his return, with prayers and pleas, some silent, that remained unanswered until today,” the family said. “In these moments, we gather in anxious anticipation of the return of our beloved son, brother, and uncle Avera. We ask that these moments be respected, and that we be granted the peace and rest we so desperately need.”
REMAINS OF SHIRI BIBAS, MOM OF TWO KILLED, ALLEGEDLY RETURNED TO ISRAEL FOLLOWING HAMAS’ BROKEN PROMISE
This comes as the delicate ceasefire deal reached a month ago remains in place despite recent revelations that hostage Shiri Bibas’ body was not initially returned to Israel as promised by Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas would “pay the full price” for allegedly handing over the body of a Palestinian woman from Gaza instead of the body of the Israeli hostage. The hostage’s sons — Ariel and Kfir Bibas — along with Oded Lifshitz were returned by Hamas on Thursday as expected.
TERROR GROUP RESPONDS AFTER FAILING TO RETURN THE BODY OF MURDERED HOSTAGE SHIRI BIBAS
Late Friday, Hamas said it handed over Shiri Bibas’ body to the Red Cross, which confirmed it had received human remains inside Gaza and transferred them to Israeli authorities. Bibas’ family confirmed her identity early Saturday.
Hamas said it “has no interest in withholding any bodies in its possession.” The terror group said the dead hostages handed over on Thursday had been killed by an Israeli airstrike in November 2023 and that the bodies could have been misidentified due to bombardments in the area.
The terror group also killed Ariel and Kfir Bibas “with their bare hands,” according to the Israeli military, which did not offer evidence to support the claim.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari alleged that forensic analysis of the Bibas boys’ bodies showed that Hamas “did not shoot the boys,” but “killed them with their bare hands” and then “committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities.” Hagari said Lifshitz was killed by captors inside Gaza.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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