Hamas names six Israeli hostages set for release on Saturday
21 February 2025, 11:54 | Updated: 21 February 2025, 12:30
Hamas has named six Israeli hostages who are set to be released on Saturday - as Israel accused the terrorist group of violating the ceasefire agreement.
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Hamas has named the six as Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, Tal Shoham, Omer Wenkert, Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengisto.
Mr Mengisto and Mr al-Sayed are both Israeli civilians who entered Gaza nearly a decade ago and have been held by the militants ever since.
The release marks the final release in phase one of the Gaza ceasefire deal.
According to Hamas, Israel will release 602 Palestinian prisoners in return, with Saturday's exchange coming on top of the hundreds of Palestinians already released under the ceasefire deal.
It comes as Israel accused Hamas of breaking the deal following the return of unknown Palestinian woman's body in place of deceased hostage Shiri Bibas'.
Read more: BBC pulls controversial Gaza documentary from iPlayer following backlash
As part of the ceasefire agreement, surviving Israeli hostages have been released in stages - with women, the elderly and those aged under 19 released during phase one.
Phase one of the ceasefire deal, which is set to last six-weeks, began last month with the handover of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari.
It comes as the Israeli Prime Minister said on Friday that Hamas has handed over the body of a Gazan woman - not the hostage, as agreed in the deal.
Hamas has since claimed Shiri Bibas' remains were mixed up following an Israeli air strike.
It coincides with reports Benjamin Netanyahu is set to appoint a close political ally to lead phase two talks with Hamas.
The new appointment is set to replace Israel’s previous chief negotiator.
It comes as the head of BICOM told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast the treatment of the Bibas family shows the "cruel and vicious" nature of Hamas.
Israeli Defence Force veteran Richard Peter said Thursday was a difficult day for Israeli society as the country mourned the family who had captured the hearts and minds of every household.
Shiri Bibas was kidnapped alongside her husband and two sons - Ariel, 4, and nine-month-old Kfir - from the Niz Or kibbutz during the October 7 attack.
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