Eight hostages, including two Israelis and five Thai nationals, released by Hamas

30 January 2025, 12:01 | Updated: 30 January 2025, 12:16

Hamas militants escort Israeli hostages Arbel Yehud (C), Gadi Moses (R) and a Thai national (back) to hand them over to a Red Cross team in Khan Yunis
Hamas militants escort Israeli hostages Arbel Yehud (C), Gadi Moses (R) and a Thai national (back) to hand them over to a Red Cross team in Khan Yunis. Picture: Getty

By Flaminia Luck

A total of eight hostages - three Israeli and five Thai nationals - have been handed over in Gaza.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

They are Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses - who have been transferred with five Thai nationals.

Earlier, a 20-year-old female soldier Agam Berger was released in Jabalia, northern Gaza.

In return, Israel is expected to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners, in the third such exchange since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month.

The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas, whose October 7 2023 attack into Israel sparked the fighting.

Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud handed over to Red Cross in Khan Yunis
Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud handed over to Red Cross in Khan Yunis. Picture: Getty

It has held despite a dispute earlier this week over the sequence in which the hostages were released.

Hamas handed female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20, to the Red Cross at a ceremony in the heavily destroyed urban refugee camp of Jabaliya in northern Gaza.

The Israeli government later confirmed that Ms Berger was with its forces.

Next Group Of Hostages Released From Gaza As Ceasefire Holds
Jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square following Agam’s release. Picture: Getty

Hamas had set up two locations for the release, one in Jabaliya and the other in the southern city of Khan Younis, in front of the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Red Cross vehicles arrived at Jabaliya, where hundreds of masked militants and onlookers had gathered.

A member of the Red Cross team signs documents before Hamas militants release of Israeli hostage Agam Berger to a Red Cross team in Jabalia
A member of the Red Cross team signs documents before Hamas militants release of Israeli hostage Agam Berger to a Red Cross team in Jabalia. Picture: Getty

There was no official confirmation of the identities of the Thai nationals who will be released.

A number of foreign workers were taken captive along with dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers during Hamas' attack.

Twenty-three Thais were among more than 100 hostages released during a week-long ceasefire in November 2023.

Israel says eight Thais remain in captivity, two of whom are believed to be dead.

Of the people set to be released from prisons in Israel, 30 are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis.

Read more: At least 19 bodies pulled from river after passenger jet and helicopter collide over Washington DC

Read more: Convicted murderer was out on licence when he killed and dismembered woman - as review under way

Wiwwaeo Sriaoun (C), the mother of Thai farm worker Watchara Sriaoun held hostage in Gaza, watches the news with relatives as she waits for the confirmation of the release of her son, at her home in Udon Thani province
Wiwwaeo Sriaoun (C), the mother of Thai farm worker Watchara Sriaoun held hostage in Gaza, watches the news with relatives as she waits for the confirmation of the release of her son, at her home in Udon Thani province. Picture: Getty
Gazans crowd around a Red Cross convoy as fighters prepare to hand over Israeli and Thai hostage in Khan Yunis
Gazans crowd around a Red Cross convoy as fighters prepare to hand over Israeli and Thai hostage in Khan Yunis. Picture: Getty

Zakaria Zubeidi, a prominent former militant leader and theatre director who took part in a dramatic jailbreak in 2021 before being rearrested days later, is also among those set to be released.

Israel said Ms Yehoud was supposed to have been freed Saturday and delayed the opening of crossings to northern Gaza when she was not.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar, which brokered the ceasefire after a year of tough negotiations, resolved the dispute with an agreement that Ms Yehoud would be released on Thursday.

Another three hostages, all men, are set to be freed on Saturday along with dozens more Palestinian prisoners.

On Monday, Israel began allowing Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, the most heavily destroyed part of the territory, and hundreds of thousands streamed back.

Many found only mounds of rubble where their homes had been.

In the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas is set to release a total of 33 Israeli hostages, including women, children, older adults and sick or wounded men, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the hostages to be released in this phase are dead.

Hamas militants escort Israeli hostage Agam Berger before releasing her to a Red Cross team in Jabalia
Hamas militants escort Israeli hostage Agam Berger before releasing her to a Red Cross team in Jabalia. Picture: Getty

Palestinians have cheered the release of the prisoners, whom they widely see as heroes who have sacrificed for the cause of ending Israel's decades-long occupation of lands they want for a future state.

Israeli forces have meanwhile pulled back from most of Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of people to return to what remains of their homes and humanitarian groups to surge assistance.

The deal calls for Israel and Hamas to negotiate a second phase in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages and the ceasefire would continue indefinitely.

The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the truce.

Hamas militants arrive in an area before handing over Israeli hostage Agam Berger to a Red Cross team in Jabalia
Hamas militants arrive in an area before handing over Agam Berger . Picture: Getty

Hamas started the war when it sent thousands of fighters storming into Israel.

The militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250.

Israel's ensuing air and ground war among the deadliest and most destructive in decades.

More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, over half of them women and children, according to Gaza's

Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The Israeli military says it killed more than 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence, and that it went to great lengths to try to spare civilians.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

The front pages of assorted various welsh local national and regional newspapers, wales UK

Government urged to set up £50 million a year fund for local news

Exclusive
Lucy Frazer says the BBC has questions to be answered over its new documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone

'Questions to answer': Former Culture Sec says BBC should take down Gaza documentary and investigate

Steven Clark

Man, 50, found guilty of murdering elderly partner, 80, found dead in retirement housing complex

A Polish woman claiming to be missing girl Madeleine McCann has been arrested on arrival to the UK

Polish woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann arrested on arrival to the UK

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Meets With President Of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky In Washington

Starmer shows support for 'democratically elected' Zelenskyy after Trump 'dictator' comments

The studio flat offers a "mezzanine level" bedroom above the kitchen

Fury as London studio flat with 'mezzanine level' bedroom centimetres above kitchen goes on sale for measly £200k

Shah Rahman

Terrorist jailed for plotting to bomb London Stock Exchange in 2012 can be re-released from prison after Parole Board ruling

Seat backs and rows of passenger seats / seating on a BA Airbus A321 plane / airplane / aeroplane / air plane during flight. (133)

Plane passenger reveals how woman who stole his window seat was handed instant karma

The BBC has been accused of "blindly spouting propaganda" over the documentary

Israel makes official complaint as pressure mounts on BBC to address Gaza documentary row

Mr White took his own life after the heist.

Getaway car ‘fixer' found guilty of plotting £1.38m watch robbery that led shop manager to take his own life

The 56-year-old was arrested and charged with attempted burglary.

Burglar jailed after falling for 'Home Alone' style trap

Raducanu was seen wiping away her tears

Emma Raducanu breaks silence after 'fixated man' who followed her to game brings tennis star to tears

Donald Trump has branded Zelenskyy a "dictator."

Trump labels Zelenskyy a ‘dictator,' says he owes US billions and only wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going

Eating cheese

Eating cheese and having an open fire are factors to living a long life, study shows

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said thousands of troops have crossed the Kursk border into Ukrainian territory.

Thousands of troops storm into Ukraine in fresh attack, Russia claims as Putin insists he’s ready for talks with Zelesnkyy

'Zombie knives' at a secure police location in Birmingham.

Police chief slams sale of knives for £10 in online ‘mystery boxes’