Hamas has freed seven Israeli captives into the custody of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), launching the first phase of a ceasefire-and-exchange arrangement aimed at ending the war in Gaza. 

Crowds across Israel cheered at public screenings as broadcasters reported the captives were with the ICRC and en route to Israel for medical checks and reunions with relatives, the army said, noting its personnel and the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service were escorting the group. 

The military named those released as Matan Angrest, Gali and Ziv Berman, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor, Omri Miran, and Guy Gilboa Dalal. Families were to meet their loved ones before transfer to hospitals for further evaluation, according to DPA and Israeli media updates from receiving bases. 

Under the deal, Hamas is to free 20 living Israeli captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, including some serving life sentences. 

Officials involved in the exchange said buses carrying Palestinian detainees had departed Israeli prisons, while Gaza’s Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis prepared a medical checkpoint for returning prisoners ahead of family reunions. Israel is also preparing to receive the bodies of captives confirmed to have died in custody. 

A government spokeswoman, Shosh Bedrosian, said Israel anticipated all 20 captives would be back early Monday. Channel 12 reported that the remaining 13 living captives were scheduled for release at 07:00 GMT in central Gaza, after which Israel would begin freeing Palestinian prisoners once all Israelis had crossed back. Al Jazeera said Monday’s group was in “reasonable condition,” walking without assistance. 

Among the Palestinians slated for release are 250 serving life sentences; imprisoned Fatah figure Marwan Barghouti is not on the list, Israeli officials said. Some prisoners are to be freed in the occupied West Bank, where relatives were instructed not to hold celebrations or speak to the media. 

In a televised address, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the releases a potential moment of unity, saying the captives’ return marked “the beginning of a new path.” 

Tensions remained evident, however: at a Tel Aviv rally on Saturday, parts of the crowd booed U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff when he praised Netanyahu’s leadership. 

Source: BBC

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