Hamas on Thursday released Israeli soldier Agam Berger as the third round of hostage-prisoner exchanges took place under a ceasefire aimed at ending the Gaza conflict.
Along with Berger, two other Israeli hostages, Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses, as well as five Thai captives, were set to be freed. In return, Israel is expected to release 110 Palestinian prisoners.
Before her release, Hamas militants paraded Berger, dressed in military fatigues, on a stage in Jabalia, northern Gaza, before handing her over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The Israeli military later confirmed she had returned to Israel and would undergo “an initial medical assessment.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office earlier identified the three Israelis to be freed. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club stated that 110 prisoners, including 30 minors, would be released by Israel in return for the three Israelis.
Ahead of the exchange, video footage aired by the Islamic Jihad militant group showed Moses and Yehud embracing and smiling. On Wednesday, the Moses family said, “We received with great excitement the wonderful news of our beloved Gadi’s return.”
The ceasefire, which began on January 19, is tied to the release of Israeli hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, in exchange for 1,900 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. So far, Hamas has released seven hostages, while Israel has freed 290 Palestinian prisoners.
A fourth exchange is scheduled for the weekend, but tensions remain. Hamas on Wednesday accused Israel of delaying aid deliveries, a claim Israeli authorities dismissed as “fake news.” Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the next swap on Saturday would involve the release of three Israeli men.
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