Hostage Release Update

• After 482 days, Gadi Mozes, 80, Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Agam Berger, 20, and 5 foreign Thai workers, who have been identified as Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchar, Seathao Bannawat and Rumnao Surasak, have been released from captivity in Gaza.
• YNet reports: Crowds of Gazans swarmed the vehicles carrying the hostages, near the ruins of the home of killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Arbel and Gadi got out of the cars and walked through the chaotic crowd to the waiting Red Cross vehicles. The Red Cross cars remained in place, unable to move due to the violent crowds. Other Red Cross vehicles awaited the release of the Thai workers. Five were released, though there currently are six in captivity.
• In response to the spectacle that Hamas put on for the hostage release (for the third time now), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released this statement:

I view with utmost severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is additional proof of the inconceivable brutality of the Hamas terrorist organization. I demand that the mediators make certain that such terrible scenes do not recur, and guarantee the safety of our hostages. Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.

• In response, Israel delayed the release of 110 Palestinian prisoners, with prison buses ordered to turn back. A later agreement was reached after mediators assured Israel of “safe passage” for future hostages. The prisoners were then released, including 30 serving life sentences.
• Hamas is set to release three men on Saturday, with their names to be confirmed Friday.

Hostages

There are now currently 79 hostages taken on 10/7 currently in captivity in Gaza (there are 82 hostages in total)

• There are now 23 remaining hostages on the list for release during the first stage of the ceasefire. The women and children will be released first, followed by men over the age of 50. The release of those kidnapped by Hamas will be spread out over 42 days, six weeks, with at least three hostages being released each week.
• 15 of the 23 remaining hostages still to be freed are alive and 8 are dead
• The Thais are not part of the 33 Israeli hostages included in the current first phase of the ongoing deal and are being released separately (it remains unclear if a price was paid for their freedom).
  • One more Thai hostage remains in captivity, along with two who w ere killed in the attack.
• One civilian woman remains: Shiri Silberman Bibas
  • Shiri’s children, Ariel (4 years old when taken hostage) and Kfir (9 months old) are also on the list and are the only remaining children in Gaza. It is assumed that they are not alive, but this has not been confirmed.
  • Israel has demanded clarification on the Bibas family by Saturday’s next hostage release
• Men over 50: Ohad Ben-Ami, Itzhak Elgarat, Yair Horn, Tsahi Idan, Ofer Kalderon, Oded Lifshitz, Shlomo Mansur, Eli Sharabi, Keith Siegel, Ohad Yahalomi.
• Link: These are the hostages to be released (and left behind) in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal’s first phase – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
• For each of the female soldiers, Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners, 30 of them convicted terrorists who are serving life sentences.

• 7 hostages are Americans: Meet the Seven American Hostages Still Held By Hamas
• On October 7^th, a total of 261 Israelis were taken hostage.
• During the ceasefire deal in November, 112 hostages were released.
• 173 hostages in total have been released or rescued
  • The bodies of 40 hostages have been recovered, including 3 mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors.
• 8 hostages have been rescued by troops alive
• Of the 82 hostages still theoretically in Gaza
  • At least 34 confirmed bodies are currently being held in Gaza
  • Thus, at most, 33-51 living hostages could still be in Gaza.
  • Hamas is also holding 2 Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015 (civilians Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who have been held in Gaza for a decade), as well as the body of 1 IDF soldiers who was killed in 2014 (Lt. Hadar Goldin’s body remains held in the Gaza Strip)

Watch as the mob in Gaza swarm Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud, taunting her and taking pictures during the transfer to the Red Cross.

Agam Berger is paraded around and forced to smile and wave in front of hundreds of Palestinian terrorists.

Gadi Mozes shows absolute bravery amongst the chaos.

The moment that 5 Thai hostages were transferred. They experienced the same horrific taunts that the Israelis did.

The IDF released footage of the moment released hostage soldier Agam Beger is handed over to Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip from the Red Cross.

The moment released hostage soldier Agam Berger reunited with parents at an IDF facility near the Gaza border after 482 days in Hamas captivity.

Released hostage soldier Agam Berger meets her four comrades, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, who were released from Hamas captivity last week, at a hospital in central Israel.

Arbel Yehoud with her family en route to a hospital

Video of the 5 Thai citizens who were released

Regular sources include JINSA, FDD, IDF, AIPAC, The Paul Singer Foundation, The Institute for National Security Studies, the Alma Research and Education Center, Yediot, Jerusalem Post, IDF Casualty Count, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Institute for the Study of War, Tablet Magazine, Mosaic Magazine, The Free Press, and the Times of Israel