Arbel Yehoud, 29, abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz in the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, looked fearful and struggled to walk through the crowd on Thursday as armed militants handed her to the Red Cross in a tense scene in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Another Israeli hostage, Gadi Moses, 80, was also released along with five Thai nationals who were working on Israeli farms near Gaza when the militants burst through the border fence.
Israeli captive Arbel Yehoud who held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023. (AP PHOTO)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the sight of their chaotic handover was shocking and threatened death to anyone hurting hostages.
He and Defence Minister Israel Katz said they had ordered a delay in the releases of the prisoners "until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phases is assured". The prime minister's office later said mediators had committed to ensuring the safe passage of hostages in future handovers.
Later on Thursday, buses arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying some of the 110 Palestinian prisoners to be freed as part of the phased agreement that halted more than 15 months of war in the coastal territory on January 19.
Agam, Arbel, Gadi – welcome home!— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) The entire State of Israel embraces you, as do my wife Sara and I.This release was achieved, first of all, thanks to our heroic soldiers, and it was also achieved thanks to the steadfast and determined stand that we took during the negotiations pic.twitter.com/u3Kug88qKdJanuary 30, 2025
Palestinian health officials said at least 14 Palestinians were hurt by Israeli fire, some with live and rubber bullets, others from gas inhalation, as they gathered at the entrance to Ramallah to welcome the freed detainees.
Video footage showed Palestinians throwing stones towards police and then running away as police began firing.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
A crowd greets Zakaria Zubeidi (right), a prominent former militant leader, after his release. (AP PHOTO)
Some prisoners from East Jerusalem had arrived at their homes while others were taken to Gaza or deported to Egypt.
Earlier, in Jabalia in northern Gaza, an Israeli soldier, Agam Berger, wearing an olive green uniform, was led through a narrow alley between heavily damaged buildings and over piles of rubble before being handed to the Red Cross.
"Our daughter is strong, faithful, and brave," a statement from her family said.
"Now Agam and our family can begin the healing process, but the recovery will not be complete until all the hostages return home."
Netanyahu has faced criticism in Israel for not having sealed a hostage deal earlier in the war after the security failure that enabled the October 7 Hamas assault.
Hamas militants maintained a heavy presence during the handover. (AP PHOTO)
Hamas, which Israel has vowed to obliterate, still has a strong presence in Gaza despite more than 15 months of heavy bombardment from the Middle East's most advanced military and the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Al-Sinwar.
Israelis gathered in what has become known as Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, cheering and crying as they watched the release on a giant screen. The hostages will be taken to hospital for treatment.
Around 1200 people were killed and more than 250 hostages were abducted in the Hamas attack in Israel, the bloodiest single attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Among the dead and abducted were dozens of Thai agricultural workers.
Israel's military response has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians and laid waste to the enclave of 2.3 million people, who face severe shortages of medicine, fuel and food.
Israelis gathered cheering and crying as hostages were released. (EPA PHOTO)
Around half the hostages were released in November 2023 during the only previous truce, and others have been recovered dead or alive during Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
Hundreds of thousands of Gazans, most displaced repeatedly during the conflict, have returned to their neighbourhoods in the north, where the fighting was most intense. Many have found their homes to be uninhabitable and basic goods in short supply.
Israel still lists 82 captives in Gaza, with around 30 declared dead in absentia.
