Hamas Set to Release Six Israeli Hostages as Gaza Cease-Fire Holds

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group governing Gaza, is preparing to release six Israeli hostages on Saturday, a move that marks the latest phase of a delicate cease-fire agreement with Israel. The release, confirmed by officials familiar with the process, includes Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Hisham al-Sayed, and Avera Mengistu, individuals whose captivity has spanned varying lengths of time amid the region’s protracted conflict. The step comes as both sides navigate a fragile truce aimed at halting more than a year of devastating warfare.

The hostages’ profiles reflect the complexity of the crisis. Cohen, Shoham, Shem Tov, and Wenkert were seized during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and saw more than 250 abducted, igniting the war. Al-Sayed and Mengistu, however, have been held for nearly a decade, having crossed into Gaza independently in separate incidents around 2014 and 2015. Their inclusion in this release underscores the broad scope of the negotiations, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which have so far freed over a dozen captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Saturday’s handover, expected to be facilitated by the Red Cross in southern Gaza, follows a tense week of accusations over truce violations. Hamas had threatened delays, citing Israeli restrictions on aid and civilian returns to northern Gaza, while Israel countered that the group was stalling. Mediators intervened to keep the process on track, with the first phase of the cease-fire—set to conclude March 1—nearing its end. As of now, 58 hostages remain in Gaza, nearly half believed dead.

The release offers a glimmer of relief for families and a test of the truce’s durability, with tougher talks on a permanent resolution looming.