Six Israeli hostages who are being held in Gaza by Hamas will be released on Saturday, and four others’ bodies will return to Israel on Thursday, according to Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
The information was a relief but also accompanied with some grief to the families, as efforts continue to bring the remaining hostages home.
Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the news but also stated that pressure must be maintained on all remaining hostages to be freed. “We’re grateful for every life that comes back home, yet we won’t stop until we bring all of our loved ones home,” read the statement made by the group calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden to resume negotiations.
Four of the six hostages—Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, and Omer Wenkert—were abducted on October 7 when Hamas launched an unprecedented assault on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 and abducting more than 240.
The other two, Hisham Al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, were being held in Gaza for nearly a decade after entering the country illegally under unclear circumstances.
The Hostages Set to Return
1. Eliya Cohen, 27, was abducted at the Nova Music Festival. His fiancée, Ziv Abud, was rescued after hiding under corpses for hours. Hearing of his release, she tweeted: “Eliya is coming home!”
2. Tal Shoham, 40, Austrian and Italian citizen economic forecaster, was abducted at Kibbutz Be’eri. His wife and children were released in November but he remained a captive.
3. Omer Shem Tov, 22, an actor from Herzliya, was kidnapped at the Nova Festival, as well. His friend released by the kidnappers, Maya Regev, tweeted: “A few more days and you will be with us. Hold on a little longer.”
4. Gedera resident Omer Wenkert, 23, was taken by the abductors from the festival. He has a colitis and has been worrying about his family since he wasn’t sure whether or not he took the necessary medication.
5. Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, a Bedouin Israeli from the town of Hura, was arrested in 2015 after entering Gaza. His father learned about the news carefully and said, “We are not celebrating yet. We will wait until Saturday.”
6. Avera Mengistu, 39 years old, a native of Ethiopia but currently residing in Ashkelon, was taken captive in 2014 when he crossed the border following a mental crisis. There had been no news from his whereabouts until a video was released in 2023 by Hamas.
The Return of Four Bodies
Apart from the release of the hostages, four bodies are to be returned on Thursday. The bodies of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, 4 years and 9 months old respectively when they were abducted, are said by Hamas to be among them. Israeli authorities have not yet confirmed this.
Ongoing Negotiations
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas continue with Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. serving as mediators. Negotiations have, however, collapsed over Hamas’ demands, reportedly including an Israeli military operations ceasefire. Netanyahu has insisted that a ceasefire would only be negotiated once all the hostages have been freed and Hamas is removed from power.
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