US Secretary of State Calls for Immediate Release of All Israeli Hostages Held by Hamas
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated the firm stance of President Joe Biden, demanding the immediate release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas. This call came following the return of three hostages who were released after over a year in captivity.
Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated the firm stance of President Joe Biden, demanding the immediate release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas. This call came following the return of three hostages who were released after over a year in captivity.
In a statement shared on social media, Rubio wrote, “After 490 harrowing days in captivity, Eli, Or, and Ohad are finally home in Israel. The President of the United States was clear — Hamas must release all hostages now!”
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Three Israeli Hostages Freed After 490 Days in Captivity
The three hostages, who were kidnapped by Hamas during the deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, were released on Saturday. The hostages are Ohad Ben Ami, 56, a dual Israeli-German citizen; Eli Sharabi, 52; and Or Levy, 34. According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the hostages were transferred from central Gaza to Israel’s military and security agencies before crossing into Israel.
The handover of the hostages took place in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, where three vehicles from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) arrived to facilitate the exchange. The freed hostages appeared frail and exhausted, but were able to speak briefly before being handed over by Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, to the ICRC.
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Previous Hostage Deal Led to Release of Ben Ami’s Wife
Reports confirmed that Ohad Ben Ami’s wife was also kidnapped on the same day as her husband but was released after 54 days in captivity as part of an earlier hostage deal.
Ceasefire Agreement Leads to Prisoner Swap
This release marks the fifth hostage exchange under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt and Qatar with the support of the United States. As part of the deal, Israel has started releasing 183 Palestinian prisoners from its jails.
Abdullah al-Zaghari, the head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, confirmed the arrival of the released Palestinian prisoners in Ramallah, with large crowds gathering to welcome them. The prisoners, released by Israel, included individuals serving life sentences and others arrested after the October 7 attack.
Phased Ceasefire and Hostage Swap Deal
The ceasefire agreement, which began on January 19, outlines a phased swap. Under the terms, Hamas is required to release 33 Israeli hostages over 42 days, while Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The ongoing agreement is seen as a crucial step toward securing peace and addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing conflict.
