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In a significant development under the ongoing ceasefire agreement, Hamas released three Israeli men—Ohad Ben Ami, Or Levy, and Eli Sharabi—who had been held captive in the Gaza Strip for 16 months. The hostages, visibly emaciated and disoriented, were forced to address crowds during their handover in Deir al-Balah before being transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Their release marked the fifth exchange under the fragile Gaza ceasefire. A banner at the exchange site in Hebrew read “total victory” for Hamas, alongside images of destroyed Israeli military vehicles.
The three Israelis the Hamas terrorist organization released are, Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy, had been held hostage in Gaza for 16 months.
This is the fifth exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinians jailed in Israel.
Israel is set to release 183 Palestinian… pic.twitter.com/s4B8q91vfhAdvertisement · Scroll to continue— Blue Owl (@BlueOwlHoots) February 8, 2025
The families of the freed men, watching from Israel, expressed both relief and anguish. Ohad Ben Ami’s mother-in-law, Michal Cohen, described her shock, saying, “He looked like a skeleton, it was awful to see.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the treatment of the hostages, calling it a “crime against humanity.” He stated on X, “The whole world must look directly at Ohad, Or, and Eli—returning after 491 days of hell, starved, emaciated, and pained—being exploited in a cynical and cruel spectacle.”
Families of the three released hostages watch their release from Hamas’ captivity: pic.twitter.com/3fZxMnwjPc
— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) February 8, 2025
Who Were the Freed Israeli Hostages?
Ohad Ben Ami was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri alongside his wife, Raz Ben Ami, during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack. Images of him being seized in just a T-shirt and underwear circulated widely. His wife, a dual Israeli-German citizen, was released in a previous truce in November 2023.
Eli Sharabi, soon to turn 53, was captured from Kibbutz Be’eri. His British-born wife and two teenage daughters were locked in a safe room by Hamas militants, who then set their home on fire. Their bodies were later identified. Eli and his brother Yossi were taken to Gaza, where Israeli authorities later confirmed Yossi was killed.
Or Levy was abducted from the Nova music festival. He and his wife, Einav Levy, had left their two-year-old son Almog with his grandparents before attending. As gunfire erupted, they sought shelter in a concrete safe room, later dubbed “the death bunker.” Einav was killed, while Or was taken hostage.
Israel Releases Palestinian Prisoners
In exchange for the three hostages, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners, including individuals convicted in attacks that killed dozens of people. Additionally, 111 Palestinians detained in Gaza during the war were also freed.
Before this latest exchange, at least 383 Palestinian prisoners had been released as part of the truce deal, which began last month.
Terms of the Truce Agreement
Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, Hamas has released 16 Israeli and dual-national hostages, along with five Thai nationals outside of the agreement.
The deal’s first phase, spanning 42 days, includes the release of 33 hostages (eight of whom Israel claims are deceased) in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
Meanwhile, the fate of remaining captives, including young children Kfir Bibas and Ariel Bibas, as well as their mother Shiri Bibas, remains unknown.
