Hamas names three Israeli hostages it says it will release on Saturday

World

Hamas has released the names of three Israeli hostages it says it will release on Saturday in the fifth such swap of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

The hostages are Eli Sharabi, Ohad ben Ami and Or Levy, Hamas armed wing spokesperson Abu Obeida said in a Telegram post.

In return for the captives’ release, Hamas said it expects 183 Palestinian prisoners to be released.

Both Mr Ami and Mr Sharabi were taken from Kibbutz Be’eri during the 7 October attack. The cross-border attack saw around 1,200 Israelis killed and around 250 people taken hostage.

Mr Levy was abducted from the Nova music festival.

Of the Palestinian prisoners being freed, 18 have been serving life sentences, 54 were serving long sentences and the vast majority, 111, were detained in the Gaza Strip during the war.

Eli Sharabi, 52, taken from Be'eri. Pic: Bring Them Home Now
Image:
Eli Sharabi, 52. Pic: Bring Them Home Now

Ohad Ben Ami, 55,  taken from Be'eri. Pic: Bring Them Home Now
Image:
Ohad Ben Ami, 55. Pic: Bring Them Home Now


Or Levy, 34, taken from Nova Festival. Pic: Bring Them Home Now
Image:
Or Levy, 34. Pic: Bring Them Home Now

Eli Sharabi

Mr Sharabi was taken hostage along with his wife and their two children.

His wife Lianne Sharabi was born in Bristol.

In the more than 15 months since the attack, her family has said that she and their two daughters, 16-year-old Noiya and 13-year-old Yahel, were killed by Hamas.

In a statement after news he would be released was announced, Mr Sharabi’s lawyer said: “The Sharabi family has already lost too much,”.

Row over aid access

Earlier on Friday, Hamas accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire accord and held off announcing the names of the Israeli hostages until the deadline had passed.

The militant group claimed Israel delayed the entry of hundreds of trucks carrying food and other humanitarian supplies and held back all but a fraction of the tents and mobile homes needed to provide people shelter in the devastated enclave.

“This demonstrates clear manipulation of relief and shelter priorities,” Hamas said in a statement.

COGAT, the Israeli military agency that is overseeing the aid deliveries into Gaza, denied the accusation.

It added Israel would “not tolerate violations by Hamas”.

Israel has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and displaced the majority of the strip’s population.

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