Hamas releases three hostages, their frail condition shocking Israelis.

 They all appear thin, weak, and pale, in worse condition than the 18 hostages previously released.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas released three Israeli hostages on Saturday, their emaciated appearance shocking Israelis as their release was broadcast live on television. The handover was part of the latest phase of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the 15-month war in Gaza.

Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, both abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri during the Hamas-led cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, and Or Levy, taken from the Nova music festival that same day, were escorted onto a Hamas stage by armed militants.

All three men appeared thin, weak, and pale, in visibly worse condition than the 18 hostages previously freed under last month’s truce.

"He looked like a skeleton; it was awful to see," said Michal Cohen, mother-in-law of Ohad Ben Ami, in an interview with Channel 13 News. She watched the Hamas-orchestrated handover, where the hostages were made to answer questions posed by a masked man while militants armed with automatic rifles stood on either side.

Dozens of armed Hamas fighters were present at the site in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, as the men were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which was responsible for transporting them to Israeli forces in Gaza.

In return, Israel will release 183 Palestinian prisoners, including 18 serving life sentences and 111 detained in Gaza during the war. Some of the released prisoners were convicted of involvement in attacks that killed dozens of people, according to Hamas.

For the families of Israeli hostages held incommunicado in Gaza for over a year, the wait for their return has been a rollercoaster of dread and hope.

Some must now face an unimaginable loss. Sharabi’s two teenage daughters and his British-born wife were murdered in the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Be’eri, where one in ten residents was killed.

TRUMP SURPRISE

The exchange is the latest in a series of swaps that have so far seen 13 Israeli and five Thai hostages released after being abducted during the Hamas attack, while 583 Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been freed in return.

Despite some setbacks, a 42-day ceasefire and hostage-for-prisoner exchange—brokered with U.S. support and mediated by Egypt and Qatar—has remained in place since taking effect nearly three weeks ago.

However, concerns that the deal could collapse before all hostages are freed have intensified following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s unexpected call for Palestinians to be relocated from Gaza and for the enclave to be handed over to the U.S. for redevelopment into the "Riviera of the Middle East."

Arab states and Palestinian groups have rejected the proposal, condemning it as an attempt at ethnic cleansing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, welcomed Trump's remarks, and Israel’s defense minister ordered the military to draft plans to allow Palestinians who wish to leave Gaza to do so.

Under the ceasefire agreement, 33 Israeli children, women, and elderly, sick, or wounded men are set to be released in the initial phase, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Negotiations on a second phase began this week, focusing on securing the return of the remaining hostages and discussing a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza as part of a broader effort to end the war.

The Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in more than 250 hostages being taken, according to Israeli authorities.

In response, Israel launched an extensive air and ground campaign in Gaza, which Gaza health officials report has killed over 47,000 Palestinians and left much of the territory in ruins.