Hamas has released six Israelis held in Gaza in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners set to be freed from Israeli jails on Saturday.
The captives were released on the 35th day of the ongoing ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, marking the seventh such exchange.
Hamas released the six Israelis in three different locations across the Gaza Strip.
Avera Mengistu, who has been detained in Gaza since 2014, and Tal Shoham were released in Rafah, while Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert were handed over to the Red Cross in Nuseirat refugee camp.
Hisham al-Sayed, detained since 2015, was released without a public ceremony in Gaza City.
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A source from Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said the decision to release Sayed – a Palestinian citizen of Israel – without a ceremony was made out of respect for his Palestinian family.
In exchange, Israeli authorities are set to release 620 Palestinian prisoners, including around 150 serving long or life sentences and 445 taken from the Gaza Strip during Israel’s latest invasion.
The first 42-day phase of the ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange deal began on 19 January.
The second and third phases are contingent on the completion of the current one.
However, Israel has delayed talks for the second phase, which was scheduled to begin on 3 February, leaving the future of the ceasefire uncertain.
Hamas has stated its readiness to release all remaining Israeli captives in a single batch during the second phase of the agreement, scheduled to start on 2 March.
In return, the Palestinian group asks for an official end to the war, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of all Palestinian prisoners.
Saturday’s exchange is the latest one scheduled in the first stage involving living captives.
Hamas is set to release the bodies of four deceased captives from Gaza next week.
With the first phase of exchanges concluded, an estimated 10,000 Palestinian prisoners or more remain in Israeli custody, including dozens of bodies taken by Israeli forces.
In Gaza, 59 Israeli captives remain in Hamas’ custody. Half of them are believed to be dead, according to Israeli estimates.
