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Eight more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were released on Thursday as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement with Israel, with scenes of chaos marking their handover to the Red Cross.
The group included three Israeli citizens and five Thai nationals, who were later transferred to Israeli forces and taken to Israel.
Their release was met with both relief and tension, as Israel delayed the reciprocating release of 110 Palestinian prisoners, citing concerns over the treatment of the hostages during their transfer. Among those freed from Israeli prisons were 32 individuals serving life sentences and 30 minors.
A Soldier’s Return Amid Rubble and Symbolism
The first hostage released on Thursday was Agam Berger, a 20-year-old Israeli soldier, who was led through the rubble of Jabalia in northern Gaza by masked Hamas gunmen.
The scene was heavily choreographed, with armed fighters keeping civilians back as Berger stood on a platform, was handed a certificate, and then transferred to the Red Cross.
Berger was among seven unarmed female soldiers from an observer unit kidnapped on October 7, 2023, and the last remaining in Gaza. In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, crowds watching the moment on a large screen erupted in cheers.
“I’m thrilled… to see her face, to see her going back to her family. It’s exciting,” said Yahel Oren, who served in the same unit as Berger a decade ago.
Following her arrival in Israel, military-released images showed Berger embracing four fellow soldiers who were freed in an earlier exchange.
Her family issued a statement expressing their relief but emphasizing that “the recovery will not be complete until all the hostages return home.”
Tense Handovers in Khan Younis
Hours later, in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the seven remaining hostages were led through a frenzied crowd before being handed over to the Red Cross.
The event took place in front of the ruins of the home of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the alleged mastermind behind the October 7 attacks. Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces in Rafah in October 2024.
“There was a lot of chaos, there was a lot of pushing,” a journalist covering the exchange told the BBC, describing the chants of support for Hamas and Sinwar that filled the air.
As the hostages were led through the crowd, a Palestinian woman watching the scene declared she was “proud of Gaza’s men and Gaza’s resistance.”
Names of the Released Hostages
Alongside Berger, the released Israeli hostages included 29-year-old Arbel Yehud and 80-year-old Gadi Moses.
The five Thai nationals were identified as agricultural workers Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Seathao, and Surasak Lamnao.
Thursday’s exchange brought the total number of hostages released since the ceasefire began on January 19 to 15. However, 82 individuals remain in captivity.
With each release, emotions continue to run high in both Israel and Gaza, as families wait in hope and uncertainty for the return of their loved ones.