Hamas to Release Three Israeli Hostages, Israel Set to Free 110 Palestinian Detainees, Check Names

Jerusalem: Hamas is set to free three more Israeli hostages as well as five Thai captives on Thursday, and Israel is to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners, marking the third exchange since a ceasefire took effect in Gaza earlier this month.

The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is intended to end the war in Gaza and facilitate the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas, as well as hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Over the past three days, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have joyously returned to northern Gaza. However, their return has been bittersweet, as most have lost friends or family members, and many northern neighborhoods have been devastated by more than 15 months of war.

Who’s Set to Be Released Today?

The Israeli hostages set to be released include Agam Berger, 20, a female soldier; Arbel Yehoud, 29, a civilian woman; and Gadi Moses, 80, a man. The identities of the five Thai nationals who will be released are not yet known. Yehoud was at the center of a dispute about the order of releases that briefly disrupted the ceasefire over the weekend. Israel had expected her to be freed on Saturday and delayed the opening of crossings to northern Gaza when that didn’t happen. Berger was abducted alongside four other female soldiers, who were freed on Saturday.

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A number of foreign workers, including 23 Thai nationals, were taken captive during Hamas‘ October 7, 2023, attack, which triggered the war. More than 100 hostages, including the Thai workers, were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. Israel reports that eight Thai nationals remain in captivity.

Of the 110 Palestinian prisoners set to be released by Israel, 30 are serving life sentences for attacks that resulted in Israeli deaths. Zakaria Zubeidi, a former militant leader who participated in a high-profile jailbreak in 2021 before being recaptured, is also among those slated for release.

Ceasefire Holds for Now, but Next Phase Will Be Harder

Today’s exchange is part of the deal that paused fighting in Gaza on January 19. Israeli forces have largely withdrawn from Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of people to return to their homes and humanitarian groups to provide aid.

The agreement calls for Hamas to release a total of 33 hostages, including women, children, elderly individuals, and sick or wounded men, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. However, Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the hostages to be released in this phase are deceased.

The initial ceasefire, which lasted six weeks, was meant to allow both sides time to negotiate a second phase, where Hamas would release the remaining hostages, and the ceasefire would continue indefinitely. If no agreement is reached, fighting could resume as early as March.

Negotiating phase two of the deal could prove challenging. Hamas has stated it will not release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a demand Hamas reiterated shortly after regaining control of Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel remains committed to destroying Hamas, and a key far-right partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition has already called for the war to resume once the ceasefire’s first phase ends.