CAIRO/JERUSALEM – Hamas handed over three Israelis and five Thai hostages in Gaza on Thursday, but Israel delayed the expected release of Palestinian prisoners after chaotic scenes at one of the handover points, where large crowds swarmed around the captives.
Arbel Yehud, 29, abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz in the Hamas-led assault on Israel on Oct 7. 2023, looked fearful and struggled to walk through a surging crowd as armed militants handed her to the Red Cross in a tense scene in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Another Israeli hostage, Gadi Moses, 80, was also released along with five Thai nationals working on Israeli farms near Gaza when the militants burst through the border fence, the Israeli military said.
The mother of one of the Thais watched a livestream of the scene anxiously from her home in the northeastern Udon Thani province.
“Please, let my son walk out now, I want to see his face,” Wiwwaro Sriaoun, 53, said as the footage on her phone showed a vehicle moving slowly through the crowd.
Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the sight of their handover amid the swarming crowds was shocking and threatened death to anyone hurting hostages. He urged mediators to ensure the scene would not be repeated.
A total of 110 Palestinian prisoners were expected to be freed on Thursday as part of the phased agreement that halted fighting in the shattered coastal territory earlier this month. An Israeli official involved in the operation said buses carrying the detainees had been instructed to return to prisons in an apparent response to the chaotic handover.
Earlier, in Jabalia in northern Gaza, an Israeli soldier, Agam Berger, wearing an olive green uniform, was led through a narrow ally between heavily damaged buildings and over piles of rubble before being handed to the Red Cross.
“Our daughter is strong, faithful, and brave,” a statement from her family said. “Now Agam and our family can begin the healing process, but the recovery will not be complete until all the hostages return home.”
A video released by Netanyahu’s office showed a pale Berger crying and smiling while sitting on her mother’s lap.
Netanyahu has faced criticism in Israel for not having sealed a hostage deal earlier after the security failure that enabled the Oct.7 Hamas assault.
REUTERS
