Before their release, Hamas paraded the hostages in front of a raucous crowd of Palestinians in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah.
By JNS
Three Israelis were free on Saturday after 491 days in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of hostages redeemed in the ongoing first phase of the ceasefire agreement to 21.
Or Levy, 34, Eli Sharabi, 52, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, were handed over by the Red Cross officials to Israel Defense Forces troops at around 11:15 a.m. local time and driven back to Israeli territory about 30 minutes later.
Before their release, Hamas paraded the hostages on a stage in front of a raucous crowd of Palestinians in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah. The three men appeared frail and emaciated.
After the handover was broadcast live across the globe, the Israeli Health Ministry called on the public to limit its consumption of such images.
“A psychological war is being waged that can cause harm to us,” said Dr. Gilad Bodenheimer, chief of the ministry’s mental health division. “We urge the public to minimize exposure to distressing images and videos and to be mindful of what they, their children and their loved ones are seeing.”
The IDF brought the freed hostages to a facility near the border for a physical and mental checkup, and then to meet with their families.
“The disturbing images from the release of Ohad, Eli and Or serve as yet another stark and painful evidence that leaves no room for doubt—there is no time to waste for the hostages!” the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.
Israelis (from left) Or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi were released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip on Feb. 8, 2025. Credit: Courtesy.
Levy was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. His wife, Eynav, was killed; their now three-year-old son Almog has been living with his grandparents since the terrorist assault.
Sharabi and his brother Yossi were abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri during the Palestinian invasion. Sharabi’s wife and daughters were murdered in their home during the attack, while Yossi has since been confirmed dead, his body still being held in Gaza.
Ben Ami was taken from Be’eri along with his wife, Raz, who was freed as part of a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023.
In return, Israel was set on Saturday to release 183 Palestinian terrorists: 18 serving life sentences, 54 serving lengthy sentences and 111 who were arrested in Gaza during the war.
Last Saturday, Israelis Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel were freed from Gaza. Two days earlier, three Israelis—IDF soldier Agam Berger, 20, along with civilians Arbel Yehud, 29, Gadi Mozes, 80, and five Thai farm workers—Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Saethao and Surasak Lamnao—were redeemed from terrorist captivity.
The previous week, Jerusalem redeemed four female IDF soldiers—Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19—who were abducted from the Nahal Oz base during the Hamas-led invasion.
Three civilian women—Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher—were released on Jan. 19, shortly after the ceasefire went into effect.
According to Israeli estimates, there are 76 hostages still in Hamas captivity in Gaza, including 73 abducted during the Oct. 7 attacks.
Of the 251 hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, 178 have been returned or rescued, and Hamas is believed to be holding 35 bodies, 34 of them taken during the cross-border invasion and that of IDF Lt. Hadar Goldin, which was taken by the Palestinian terrorist group in 2014.