Hamas militants parade newly-released Israeli hostages (L to R) Elia Cohen, Omer Shem Tov and Omer Wankert on stage in Nuseirat in central Gaza Strip, as part of the seventh hostage-prisoner release on  Saturday —AFP

Agencies  JERUSALEM/GAZA

Hamas freed five of six Israeli hostages due to be released on Saturday in the latest exchange under the fragile ceasefire. The Palestinian militant group first released two hostages — Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38 in Rafah in southern Gaza. Three more Israeli men in their 20s — Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen — were handed over to ICRC in Nuseirat to be transported to Israeli forces.

These three were abducted by Hamas fighters at the Nova music festival when militants stormed into southern Gaza on October 7, 2023 in the attack that triggered the nearly 16-month Israeli campaign in Gaza. They were handed over to the Red Cross to be transported to Israeli forces.

Later,  footage shared by the Palestinian Information Centre claims to show a handover of the sixth Israeli captive, 36-year-old Hesham al-Sayed , by the armed wing of Hamas, Qassam Brigades, to the Red Cross in Gaza City, Al Jazeera reported. According to Reuters, Al-Sayed and Mengistu were held by Hamas since they entered Gaza of their own accord around a decade ago. Shoham was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri along with his wife and two children, who were freed in a brief truce in November 2023.

The six are the last living hostages from a group of 33 due to be freed in the first stage of the ceasefire deal that took effect on January 19. Around 60 more captives, less than half of whom are believed to be alive, remain in Gaza. The three Israeli men — Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen — were brought out by masked, armed Hamas fighters to pose on a stage before hundreds of Palestinians in the central town of Nuseirat, the Associated Press reported. They were dressed in fake army uniforms, though they were not soldiers when they were kidnapped. Shem Tov and Wenkert smiled and waved at the crowd.

Watching the release, Cohen's family and friends in Israel chanted “Eliya! Eliya! Eliya!” and cheered when they saw him for the first time. Shem Tov's grandmother ululated in joy, shrieking, “Omer, my joy! My life!” as she saw him. According to Al Jazeera, Israeli authorities have released the names of 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees who are expected to be released on Saturday in exchange  for the hostages.

Abdul Latif al-Qanou, a spokesman for Hamas, said Israel’s “commitment to the remaining terms of the agreement and the implementation of the humanitarian protocol” would guarantee the completion of the future captive-prisoner exchange operations. He said in a statement on Telegram: “33 days have passed since the first phase started without the occupation completing the full implementation of the terms of the agreement”.