Hostages released from captivity in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners after delay

3 Israeli hostages, 5 Thai released; 110 Palestinian prisoners released after delay; IDF soldier killed, terrorists killed in W. Bank; IDF shoots down Hezbollah spy drone

 Agam Berger, Arbel Yehoud, and Gadi Moses. (photo credit: BRINGTHEMHOMENOW, Canva)
Agam Berger, Arbel Yehoud, and Gadi Moses.
(photo credit: BRINGTHEMHOMENOW, Canva)

First, hostage Agam Berger, and then later on Thursday, hostages Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Mozes, and five Thai citizens were released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Berger was freed in the early morning with Yehoud and Mozes released hours later.

In exchange, in the late afternoon, Israel released 110 Palestinian security prisoners, of which around 30 were given life sentences, 48 more were given lengthy jail sentences, and another 30 were convicted minors.

In Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Yehoud and Mozes were transferred to Red Cross vehicles, surrounded by Hamas and PIJ terrorists along with masses of Gazan civilians during their release, showing a chaotic and potentially dangerous scene that angered Israeli officials.

In response, Israeli officials delayed the return of the Palestinian security prisoners for nearly two hours and said they had received guarantees that future hostage releases would be handled in a more orderly fashion.

 Gadi Moses arrived at Beilinson hospital (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)Enlrage image
Gadi Moses arrived at Beilinson hospital (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)

Earlier, the PIJ terror group published a video showing hostages Mozes and Yehoud ahead of the scheduled release.

The video appears to show the two hostages being reunited and appeared to be an effort by PIJ to demonstrate its own power, independent of Hamas in the current series of exchanges.

Mozes was taken captive from outside his home on October 7 when Kibbutz Nir Oz, where he lived, was invaded by Hamas terrorists. Mozes marked his 80th birthday in Hamas captivity in Gaza in March.

German-Israeli hostage Yehoud, 29, was also abducted from Nir Oz.

Berger was the last surviving IDF observation soldier who had not yet been released, and she was kidnapped from Nahal Oz on October 7. She is alleged to have been the hostage who braided the hair of the four IDF soldiers freed last Saturday.


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Palestinian prisoners released 

Another three Israeli hostages and many more Palestinian security prisoners are slated to be released this coming Saturday.

Among the Palestinian security prisoners released were Zakaria Zubeidi, a Fatah commander who was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks and for killing many Israelis and once temporarily escaped from the Gilboa Prison, and Rashid Reshek, a terrorist who was previously convicted of involvement in a plot to assassinate Otzma Yehudit party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir.

IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari said that the military and Israel had succeeded in returning all of the surviving observers from the Nahal Oz position where many were killed and taken hostage.

He said that the country still has an obligation to probe the failures to protect them on October 7, with the IDF probes due to be issued around next month.

Hagari also said that the IDF is obligated to return the remaining 82 hostages.

West Bank operations 

In the West Bank, Hagari noted that the IDF recently killed 10 terrorists.

Among them were terrorist Wassem Aklik, who was killed in Nablus during a joint operation by police special forces Counterterrorism Unit and the IDF following Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) intelligence.

The terrorist was planning terror attacks against Israeli targets, according to an IDF statement.

Aklik attempted to run from security forces while armed, at which point IDF soldiers opened fire and killed him.

However, also on Thursday St.-Sgt. Liam Hazi, 20, was killed during operational activity in Jenin.

St.-Sgt. Hazi, from Rosh Ha’ayin, served in the Kfir Brigade’s Haruv reconnaissance unit.

During the incident in which Hazi was killed, a soldier in the same battalion was severely wounded, and a few others were moderately injured.

In Lebanon, the air force intercepted a Hezbollah drone that was launched within the country to collect intelligence regarding IDF movements, the military said on Thursday.

No sirens sounded in accordance with IDF directives.