As part of a fragile agreement, Hamas released two hostages on Saturday in exchange for the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners.
The released hostages were identified as Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 39. Video footage showed the men appearing frail and scared as masked gunmen escorted them to a stage in front of a crowd. They were then handed over to the Red Cross, who transported them to IDF forces.
It was anticipated that four additional hostages would be released later on Saturday: Omer Wenkert, 23; Omer Shem Tov, 22; Hisham Al-Sayed, 36; and Eliya Cohen, 27.
The Israeli Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency jointly announced that Shoham and Mengistu had re-entered Israel.
The statement read: “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 IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are due to be transferred to the Red Cross in the near future.”
Mengistu and Al-Sayed, two of the hostages, are civilians who were held after independently entering Gaza more than ten years prior, before the conflict initiated by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which led to retaliatory measures by Israeli forces.
Shoham’s family stated that his release from Hamas captivity “is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing together.”
The statement continued, “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. 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 issued a statement, saying they have “endured ten years and five months of unimaginable suffering.”
The family added, “During this time, there have been continuous efforts to secure his return, with prayers and pleas, some silent, that remained unanswered until today. 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.”
This development occurs as the fragile ceasefire agreement reached a month prior remains in effect, despite recent reports that the body of hostage Shiri Bibas was not initially returned to Israel as Hamas had pledged.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that 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. Hostage Shiri Bibas’ sons, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, along with Oded Lifshitz, were returned by Hamas on Thursday as planned.
Late Friday, Hamas announced that it had transferred Shiri Bibas’ body to the Red Cross, which confirmed receipt of human remains and their subsequent transfer to Israeli authorities. Bibas’ family confirmed her identity early Saturday.
Hamas stated it “has no interest in withholding any bodies in its possession.” The group claimed the dead hostages handed over on Thursday had been killed by an Israeli airstrike in November 2023 and that bombardments in the area could have led to misidentification of the bodies.
According to the Israeli military, the terror group also killed Ariel and Kfir Bibas “with their bare hands,” although no evidence was provided to support the claim.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari claimed that forensic analysis of the Bibas boys’ bodies indicated 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 added that captors inside Gaza killed Lifshitz.
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