Hamas releases several more Israeli hostages

Hamas has handed over three Israelis captured during the "Nova" festival to the Red Cross. The hostages are Omer Wenkrat (23, from Hadera), Eliya Cohen (27, from Tzur Adasah), and Omer Shem Tov (21, from Herzliya).

The hostages will be taken to a military camp near Re'im, close to the Gaza border, and then transported by helicopter to hospitals in Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva for further examination and treatment. Emergency facilities have been prepared in hospitals in Ashkelon and Beersheba for urgent care.

It is expected that another hostage, Hisham Shaaban al-Sayyed (36), who suffers from a mental disorder and entered Gaza in 2015, will be released later without an official ceremony due to the specifics of his condition. Hamas claims this is being done "out of respect for his family and religious beliefs."

Prisoner exchange: changes in lists

This stage of the prisoner exchange is part of a broader process. As part of the latest phase, Israeli authorities are set to release 602 prisoners, including terrorists convicted of terrorist acts and those detained after October 7, 2023.

However, the list of those being released has significantly increased, and now over 800 individuals will gain freedom. Of this number, 445 are residents of Gaza arrested in recent months, along with convicted terrorists, including murderers and individuals sentenced to life imprisonment.

This exchange was made possible after an emergency nighttime meeting of the Israeli government, where a new list was agreed upon. Despite its scale, the agreement raises concerns for some, as dangerous figures among the released terrorists could pose a new threat, according to critics.

International pressure on both sides

International efforts by mediators such as Qatar and Egypt are focused on accelerating the second phase of the agreement, which could lead to an end to hostilities between Israel and Hamas. A proposed "all-for-all" exchange and a ceasefire are key demands from Hamas.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist on extending the first phase to secure the release of more hostages and improve conditions for negotiations towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

It is expected that on February 27, Hamas will hand over the bodies of four more deceased hostages to Israel, marking an important step in the implementation of the agreement and the conclusion of the first phase of the exchange.

It is worth noting that Hamas had previously handed over the bodies of four deceased hostages to Israel as part of the agreement, two of whom were children.

The transfer of the bodies began on the morning of February 20 but was delayed. Hamas terrorists displayed the coffins containing the remains on stage alongside banners reading "Made in the USA." According to Hamas, the hostages and their guards died due to an Israeli airstrike carried out with American missiles.

The bodies have already been handed over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Israeli military has confirmed the receipt of the remains of the hostages.