Hamas names 3 Israeli hostages to be released as ceasefire deal faces complications
After a brief delay, Hamas communicated to Israel the names of the three hostages set to be released on Saturday.
On Friday, Hamas provided Israel with the names of three hostages set to be released on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, after the militant group had briefly delayed the announcement owing to what it said were violations of the ceasefire deal reached last month.
Hours after it was supposed to transfer the information, Hamas notified Israel, via Qatari intermediates, that on Saturday it will release: Or Levy, Eli Sharabi and Ohad Ben Ami. All three were taken hostage during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the list was acceptable to Israel.
Earlier in the day, Hamas claimed it had delayed the notification of the names past the 4:00 p.m. deadline because Israel was not transferring humanitarian aid — including trucks with humanitarian supplies and shipments of tents and mobile shelters — to the Strip fast enough. Israel denied the accusation.
Hamas' media office stated that Israel is expected to release 183 Palestinians in the exchange, 111 of whom were detained in Gaza during the war.
