Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed “decisive action” to return all remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, after Hamas on Saturday freed the final living hostages slated for release under the first stage of an increasingly fragile truce. Urgent high-stakes negotiations for stage two are set to begin next week after more than a fortnight’s delay, but experts have warned that the talks are unlikely to go smoothly – and Israel has already begun amassing troops on Gaza’s border in case fighting resumes.
Stage one, due to end on March 1, stipulated the return of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, a trade regarded as in the best interests of both Hamas and Israel. Stage two on the other hand – which, if successful, would effectively mean the end of the war – is to address contentious issues both sides are reluctant to give ground on.
Mr Netanyahu is demanding the removal of Hamas from the Gaza Strip. At the same time, Israeli troops are to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer zone running along the Gaza-Israel border, something the Israeli prime minister has repeatedly refused to agree to.
Hamas has said it is open to speeding up the deal and releasing all 61 remaining hostages in one fell swoop during stage two, in return for a permanent ceasefire and a “complete withdrawal” of Israeli troops from Gaza. Saturday’s hostage release began with the now-familiar spectacle of hostages paraded on a stage by masked, armed Hamas gunmen in front of large crowds of Palestinians.
Unfamiliar was the drizzly, windy weather, which soaked the masses watching on relatively calmly from behind a row of militants. Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 39, were the first to be handed over to the Red Cross at around 10am local time in Rafah, after being made to sign documents on the stage.
Mr Mengistu, an Ethiopian-born Israeli, had been held hostage for over 10 years, having crossed into Gaza back in 2015. His family said he was suffering from mental health issues. Mr Shoham was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri as Hamas fighters rampaged through the area on Oct 7 2023.
After being transferred to the Israeli military in Gaza, they were then taken back to Israel for family reunions and medical evaluations. “This is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are combined. Our Tal is with us,” the Shoham family said after an emotional reunion.
The Mengistu family said: “Ten years and five months of unimaginable suffering have passed for our family. During this time, relentless efforts were made to bring him back, along with prayers and cries – some silent – that went unanswered until today.”.
Around two hours later, Omer Shem Tov, 22, Omer Wenkert, 23, and Eliya Cohen, 27, were brought to a similar makeshift stage in Nuseirat. Dressed in what appeared to be unmarked military garb, the three young men were escorted onstage. Dozens of militants stood guard in a crowd that had gathered to watch the handover. Other Hamas fighters with automatic rifles stood on each side of the three men, who appeared thin and pale, as they were made to wave from the stage.
The stage-managed event saw Mr Shem Tov blow kisses to the crowd, flash a thumbs-up, and kiss the two militants next to him on the head. The family of Mr Wenkert, who suffers from colitis, were deeply concerned for his health, since he was not believed to be receiving necessary medical treatment in Hamas captivity.
Later, the Israeli military released emotional footage of Mr Shem Tov reuniting with his parents. Mr Cohen was also filmed meeting his family and girlfriend. In a first for Hamas, Hisham al-Sayed, 37, was handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City privately, without any spectacle. Hamas did not say why, but it may be due to the fact that Mr al-Sayed is a Muslim Bedouin Arab Israeli citizen.
Like Mr Mengistu, Mr Al-Sayed had been held by Hamas for a decade after crossing into Gaza in 2015. He is also reported to have serious mental-health issues. Mr Netanyahu said the release of the six hostages was “a moment of joy and relief for their families and for all of Israel”.
The men were due to be released in exchange for some 620 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. However, Israel on Saturday night delayed their release “until the release of the next hostages is guaranteed, and without the degrading ceremonies” of the sort seen at handovers of Israeli captives in Gaza, it said in a statement from Mr Netanyahu’s office.
Early on Sunday, vehicles apparently carrying prisoners left the open gates of Ofer prison, only to turn around and go back in. Hamas called the delay a “blatant violation” of the truce. Five of the six Israeli hostages freed Saturday were escorted by masked, armed militants in front of a crowd – a display that the UN and others have criticised as cruel after previous handovers.
