Latest news with #BedouinIsraeli
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hamas releases 6 more hostages, signals readiness for next phase of shaky ceasefire
Hamas on Saturday released six Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, signaling readiness for the next phase of a shaky ceasefire. Avera Mengistu and Tal Shoham were handed to the Red Cross and eventually to Israel in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. Both were taken on an Israeli Air Force helicopter to the hospital to be reunited with their families and to undergo medical treatment, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Three others — Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert and Eliya Cohen — were released in central Gaza, first handed to the Red Cross and then over to Israel. They were accompanied by IDF special forces and the Israeli Security Agency (ISA). Israel's military said Saturday that they will also undergo medical testing upon their return. 'The commanders and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces salute and embrace the returning hostages as they make their way home to the State of Israel,' the IDF said. The sixth hostage, who was freed later Saturday, was not immediately identified. It is expected to be Hisham al-Sayed, 36, a Bedouin Israeli with a history of mental health illness, crossed on his own into Gaza in 2015 and had been held since, according to The Associated Press. Earlier this week, Hamas was expected to deliver the remains of Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother who was taken hostage with her husband and two children during the Palestinian militant group's Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. Israel said Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., delivered the wrong body. The move angered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who warned that repercussions were coming for Hamas if the situation wasn't rectified. Israel confirmed on Friday that Hamas has since released Bibas's body. Hamas said Israel will release over 600 Palestinian prisoners in exchange. It would be the largest freeing of inmates since the fragile ceasefire between the two sides began on Jan. 19. The first phase of the three-phase ceasefire is set to last six weeks. The two sides have not forged an agreement for the second phase as of yet. The next steps are expected to include the release of the remaining hostages and the Israeli military withdrawing fully from the Gaza Strip. The tenuous ceasefire came after the two sides fought for over 15 months. Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on the south of Israel killed around 1,200 Israelis and around 250 people were taken hostage. IDF responded by bombarding Gaza, a military operation that killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The tally does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Guardian
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Hamas releases six hostages in latest exchange with Israel
Hamas has freed six hostages in the latest exchange with Israel, as heightened tensions between the two sides cast doubt over their fragile ceasefire deal. The six included three Israeli men seized from the Nova music festival and another abducted while visiting his family in southern Israel when militants stormed across the border in the 7 October attacks that triggered Israel's 16-month campaign in the Gaza Strip. Two of the hostages had been held by Hamas for about a decade after they each entered Gaza on their own. Five of the captives were handed over in staged ceremonies that the Red Cross and Israel have previously condemned, with masked and armed Hamas fighters bringing them out in front of hundreds of Palestinians before transferring them to Red Cross vehicles. The six hostages are the last living ones to be released under the first phase of the ceasefire deal. In Nuseirat, in central Gaza, Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen were made to pose alongside Hamas fighters on the stage. A beaming Shem Tov kissed two militants on the head and blew kisses to the crowd. Hamas has come under heavy criticism for the displays, with Israel, the UN and the Red Cross saying they are cruel and do not respect the dignity of the hostages. Watching the release, Cohen's family and friends in Israel chanted 'Eliya, Eliya, Eliya!' and cheered when they saw him for the first time. Shem Tov's grandmother exclaimed in joy as he saw him, crying: 'Omer, my joy, my life.' The Israeli military said the final hostage, Hisham al-Sayed, 36, was released later on Saturday. The Bedouin Israeli crossed on his own into Gaza in 2015 and had been held ever since. His family told Israeli media that Sayed had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The new releases, to be followed by the freeing of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, went ahead after tensions mounted over the latest dispute, which was triggered this week when Hamas initially handed over the wrong body for Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother of two young boys abducted by the militants. The remains that Hamas transferred with her sons' bodies on Thursday were later determined to be those of an unidentified Palestinian woman. In response, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed revenge for 'a cruel and malicious violation', while Hamas suggested it had been a mistake. On Friday night, the Palestinian Mujahedeen Brigades, the small militant group believed to have been holding Bibas and her sons, handed over a second body. The family of Bibas said Israeli forensic authorities had confirmed the remains were hers. 'For 16 months we sought certainty, and now that it's here, it brings no comfort, though we hope it marks the beginning of closure,' the family said. The ceasefire deal has paused the war but is nearing the end of its first phase. Negotiations over a second phase, in which Hamas would release dozens more hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, are likely to be even more difficult.
Al Jazeera
22-02-2025
- General
- Al Jazeera
Hamas releases six Israeli captives in Gaza as part of ceasefire deal
Sixth captive to be handed over by Hamas to Israeli authorities in Gaza City without a ceremony. 22 Feb 2025 | Updated: Hamas has released six Israeli captives from Gaza ahead of the release of hundreds of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons in the final swap under the first phase of the ceasefire between the Palestinian group and Israel. The first two captives, Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu, were handed over to the Red Cross in Rafah in southern Gaza on Saturday after they were led onto a stage by armed Hamas fighters. Three more captives – Eliya Cohen, Omer Wenkert and Omer Shem Tov – were later released to Red Cross officials in Nuseirat in central Gazain a separate ceremony. Hisham al-Sayed, was the last captive to be handed over to the Red Cross on Saturday. The 37-year-old Bedouin Israeli was taken captive when he entered Gaza in April 2015. The six are the last from a group of 33 to be freed in the first stage of the ceasefire, which took effect on January 19. Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Nuseirat, said a large crowd has gathered to witness the release of the three captives. 'We see reinforcements from the Qassam Brigades in order to maintain order and safety of the process,' he reported, referring to Hamas's armed wing. 'Compared with past handovers, the scene here at Nuseirat looks more organised.' Our correspondent said that Hamas did not give any explanation why there was a last-minute change of the plan to release four captives in Nuseirat. Speaking to Al Jazeera before the release, Professor Sami al-Arian from Istanbul Zaim University said the elaborate staging of the handover is a way for Hamas to signal it is responsible stakeholders by 'showing the whole world that they were trying to keep them [the captives] alive, keep them safe'. Later on Saturday, Israel is expected to release 602 Palestinians held in its jails. It includes 445 people detained by Israeli forces during its war on Gaza as well as dozens serving lengthy or life terms, according to Hamas. The fragile ceasefire had been threatened with derailment by the misidentification of a body released on Thursday as that of Shiri Bibas, who was taken captive with her two young sons and husband in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hamas frees all 6 hostages in the latest exchange with Israel
Hamas freed all six hostages in the latest exchange Saturday, even as heightened tension between the adversaries clouded the future of the fragile ceasefire deal. The six included three Israeli men seized from the Nova music festival and another abducted while visiting his family in southern Israel when militants stormed across the border in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that triggered Israel's nearly 16-month campaign in the Gaza Strip. Two of the hostages had been held by Hamas for around a decade since they each entered Gaza on their own. Five of the captives were handed over in staged ceremonies that the Red Cross and Israel have condemned in the past — brought out by masked, armed Hamas fighters in front of hundreds of Palestinians before being transferred to Red Cross vehicles. In the central town of Nuseirat, Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen were posed alongside Hamas fighters on the stage. A beaming Shem Tov even kissed two militants next to him on the head and blew kisses to the crowd. Hamas has come under heavy criticism for such public displays, with Israel, the U.N. and the Red Cross saying they are cruel and do not respect the dignity of the hostages. Watching the release, Cohen's family and friends in Israel chanted 'Eliya! Eliya! Eliya!' and cheered when they saw him for the first time. Shem Tov's grandmother ululated in joy, shrieking, 'Omer, my joy! My life!' as she saw him. The Israeli military said the final hostage, Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, was released later Saturday. The Bedouin Israeli crossed on his own into Gaza in 2015 and had been held since. His family has told Israeli media Al-Sayed was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia. The latest releases, to be followed by the freeing of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, went ahead after tensions mounted over a grisly and heart-wrenching dispute triggered this week when Hamas initially handed over the wrong body for Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother of two young boys abducted by the militants. The remains that Hamas transferred with her sons' bodies on Thursday were later determined to be those of an unidentified Palestinian woman. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge for 'a cruel and malicious violation,' while Hamas suggested it had been a mistake. On Friday night, the small militant group believed to have been holding Bibas and her sons — the Palestinian Mujahedeen Brigades — handed over a second body. Bibas' family said Israeli forensic authorities had confirmed the remains were hers. 'For 16 months we sought certainty, and now that it's here, it brings no comfort, though we hope it marks the beginning of closure,' the family said. Difficult negotiations likely over the ceasefire's next phase The ceasefire deal has paused the war but is nearing the end of its first phase. Negotiations over a second phase, in which Hamas would release dozens more hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, are likely to be even more difficult. The six hostages being freed Saturday are the last living ones to be released under the first phase. Cohen, Shem Tov and Wenkert, all in their 20s, were abducted by Hamas fighters at the Nova music festival. During their release, they were brought out wearing fake army uniforms, though they were not soldiers when they were kidnapped. Earlier Saturday, two other hostages — Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38 — were freed in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Arriving back in Israel, both were taken to medical centers for examination. 'This is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing together. Our Tal is with us,' Shoham's family said in a statement, calling for a deal to free all those still captive. 'There is a window of opportunity; we must not miss it.' Shoham, who also holds Austrian citizenship, was visiting his family in Kibbutz Be'eri when Hamas militants stormed into the community during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. Shoham's wife, two young children, and three other relatives who were abducted with him were freed in a November 2023 exchange. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, had been held in Gaza since entering on his own in 2014. Watching the handover on Israeli media, Mengistu's family and friends broke out into a Hebrew song, 'Here is the Light,' as they saw him for the first time in more than a decade. 'Do you remember me?' one of his brothers asks as they embraced at the hospital. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners set for release Later Saturday, Israel is to release 620 imprisoned Palestinians. They include 151 who were serving life or other sentences, around 100 of whom will be deported to other countries, according to the Palestinian prisoners media office. They also include 445 men as well as 18 children between the ages of 15 and 17, five aged between 18-19, and a woman, all of whom were seized by Israeli troops in Gaza during the current war, according to the media office. Hamas has said it will also release four more bodies next week, completing the first phase of the ceasefire. If that plan is carried out, Hamas would retain about 60 hostages, about half of whom are believed to be alive. Hamas has said it won't release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu, with the full backing of the Trump administration, says he's committed to destroying Hamas' military and governing capacities and returning all the hostages, goals widely seen as mutually exclusive. Israel's military offensive killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. The offensive destroyed vast areas of Gaza, reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble. At its height, the war displaced 90% of Gaza's population. Many have returned to their homes to find nothing left and no way of rebuilding. ___ Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Jahjouh from Rafah. Associated Press writers Abdel-Kareem Hana in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Boston Globe
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Hamas frees 6 hostages in latest exchange with Israel
Five of the captives were handed over in staged ceremonies that the Red Cross and Israel have condemned in the past — brought out by masked, armed Hamas fighters in front of hundreds of Palestinians before being transferred to Red Cross vehicles. Advertisement In the central town of Nuseirat, Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen were posed alongside Hamas fighters on the stage. A beaming Shem Tov even kissed two militants next to him on the head and blew kisses to the crowd. Hamas has come under heavy criticism for such public displays, with Israel, the U.N. and the Red Cross saying they are cruel and do not respect the dignity of the hostages. Watching the release, Cohen's family and friends in Israel chanted 'Eliya! Eliya! Eliya!' and cheered when they saw him for the first time. Shem Tov's grandmother ululated in joy, shrieking, 'Omer, my joy! My life!' as she saw him. Friends of hostage Eliya Cohen celebrated on Saturday. Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty A Palestinian woman walked among Hamas fighters in the central Gaza Strip ahead of the release. BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images The Israeli military said the final hostage, Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, was released later Saturday. The Bedouin Israeli crossed on his own into Gaza in 2015 and had been held since. His family has told Israeli media Al-Sayed was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia. The latest releases, to be followed by the freeing of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, went ahead after tensions mounted over a grisly and heart-wrenching dispute triggered this week The remains that Hamas transferred with her sons' bodies on Thursday were later determined to be those of an unidentified Palestinian woman. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge for 'a cruel and malicious violation,' while Hamas suggested it had been a mistake. Advertisement On Friday night, the small militant group believed to have been holding Bibas and her sons — the Palestinian Mujahedeen Brigades — handed over a second body. Bibas' family said Israeli forensic authorities had confirmed the remains were hers. 'For 16 months we sought certainty, and now that it's here, it brings no comfort, though we hope it marks the beginning of closure,' the family said. Difficult negotiations likely over the ceasefire's next phase The ceasefire deal has paused the war but is nearing the end of its first phase. Negotiations over a second phase, in which Hamas would release dozens more hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, The six hostages being freed Saturday are the last living ones to be released under the first phase. Cohen, Shem Tov and Wenkert, all in their 20s, were abducted by Hamas fighters at the Nova music festival. During their release, they were brought out wearing fake army uniforms, though they were not soldiers when they were kidnapped. Earlier Saturday, two other hostages — Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38 — were freed in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Arriving back in Israel, both were taken to medical centers for examination. 'This is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing together. Our Tal is with us,' Shoham's family said in a statement, calling for a deal to free all those still captive. 'There is a window of opportunity; we must not miss it.' Advertisement Shoham, who also holds Austrian citizenship, was visiting his family in Kibbutz Be'eri when Hamas militants stormed into the community during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. Shoham's wife, two young children, and three other relatives who were abducted with him were freed in a November 2023 exchange. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, had been held in Gaza since entering on his own in 2014. Watching the handover on Israeli media, Mengistu's family and friends broke out into a Hebrew song, 'Here is the Light,' as they saw him for the first time in more than a decade. 'Do you remember me?' one of his brothers asks as they embraced at the hospital. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners set for release Later Saturday, Israel is to release 620 imprisoned Palestinians. They include 151 who were serving life or other sentences, around 100 of whom will be deported to other countries, according to the Palestinian prisoners media office. They also include 445 men as well as 18 children between the ages of 15 and 17, five aged between 18-19, and a woman, all of whom were seized by Israeli troops in Gaza during the current war, according to the media office. Hamas has said it will also release four more bodies next week, completing the first phase of the ceasefire. If that plan is carried out, Hamas would retain about 60 hostages, about half of whom are believed to be alive. Hamas has said it won't release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu, with the full backing of the Trump administration, says he's committed to destroying Hamas' military and governing capacities and returning all the hostages, goals widely seen as mutually exclusive. Advertisement Israel's military offensive killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. The offensive destroyed vast areas of Gaza, reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble. At its height, the war displaced 90% of Gaza's population. Many have returned to their homes to find nothing left and no way of rebuilding. Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Jahjouh from Rafah. Associated Press writers Abdel-Kareem Hana in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.
