GAZA – Three Israelis who were previously held hostage by Hamas finally returned to Israel after more than 16 months in prisoners. Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinian prisoners were also released in the exchange which became part of the agreement that lasted over the past six weeks.
Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and or Levy were released on Saturday morning at Gaza The middle before being handed over to the international red cross and then delivered to Israel. The three were victims of the attack on October 7, 2023, which marked the beginning of the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Sharabi was arrested from Kibbutz Beeri, the agrarian community which was one of the most severe attack points at that time. His wife, Lianne, and his daughter were killed in the attack. Ben Ami, a father of three children who worked as an accountant, also came from the same community and had lost his wife in the hostage before finally being released in November 2023. Levy, a computer programmer from Rishon Lezion, was captured after escaping to a shelter near the festival Nova music in South Israel. His wife was one of the victims killed in the attack.
Change of prisoner in the middle of a consultation As part of the agreement, Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners, who were mostly immediately delivered back to Ramallah, West Bank. Of these, 18 people have been sentenced to life, while 54 others served a long sentence of their involvement in a deadly attack on Israeli citizens. Some of them will be moved to Egypt before it is finally deported further.
Based on reports from the B’Tselem Human Rights Organization, more than 9,440 Palestinians were detained in Israeli prison in mid -2024. Many of them were detained without charges or courts in a scheme known as administrative detention. Israel claims this step needs to be done for national security, although the policy has drawn widespread criticism from the international community.
Political Dynamics and Negotiations Challenges The process of exchanging prisoners takes place in the middle of intensive negotiations aimed at achieving permanent ceasefire. Hamas claimed that his party had treated prisoners in accordance with international humanitarian law, although Israel accused the persecution of hostages.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that the world must see the condition of the three hostages which he called “emaciated and suffering.” Meanwhile, Hamas Continue to emphasize that they have made every effort to maintain the safety of the hostages, even though the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate due to Israeli air strikes.
Along with this development, the debate about Gaza’s future heats up. The US President, Donald Trump, again stated his controversial idea about the relocation of Palestinians from Gaza, an idea that received a strong rejection from various parties in the Middle East.
While Israeli troops gradually withdraw from the Gaza region in accordance with the provisions of the ceasefire, the situation in the field remains tense. Negotiators from various parties are still looking for a middle ground so that the agreement of prisoners and ceasefires can be extended.
With the uncertainty that still overshadows, many parties hope that diplomacy efforts can prevent further escalation and bring both parties to a more sustainable solution.