Fifth Gaza hostage swap: 183 set for release
Shafaq News/ Preparations are underway in Gaza for the fifth hostage exchange between Hamas and Israel, as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
On Saturday, the Palestinian Prisoners' Information Office announced that the upcoming exchange will include 183 hostages, comprising 18 prisoners serving life sentences, 54 with long-term sentences, and 111 from Gaza who were arrested after October 7.
Among those set for release is Hatem Al-Jayousi, co-founder of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, serving six life sentences for his involvement in attacks during the Second Intifada. Others include Shadi Al-Barghouti, convicted of attacks inside Israel and serving a 27-year sentence, and Jamal Al-Tawil, a senior Hamas leader arrested in 2021 in Ramallah for allegedly reorganizing Hamas activities in the West Bank.
On the Israeli side, Ohad Ben Ami, 56, Eli Sharabi, 52, and Or Levy, 34, are set to be released. Their transfer will take place in two stages, beginning at 8:30 AM local time (6:30 AM GMT) on Salah al-Din Street in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, followed by a second release at 12:00 PM local time (10:00 AM GMT) at an undisclosed location.
The ongoing prisoner exchanges have been marked by diplomatic disputes. Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by blocking humanitarian aid and other supplies into Gaza. Hamas officials claimed they may be unable to return the remains of some captives due to Israeli restrictions on heavy excavation equipment, making it difficult to recover bodies trapped under the rubble.
This exchange follows four previous swaps under the ceasefire agreement. In the first phase, Hamas released 13 Israeli hostages and 12 foreign nationals, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners. The second exchange saw 10 Israeli hostages and several foreign nationals freed in return for 42 Palestinian detainees. In the third round, Hamas released three Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals, with Israel responding by freeing 110 Palestinian prisoners. In the fourth swap, Hamas released three Israeli captives, while Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that 47,583 people have been killed and 111,633 injured in Israeli military operations. The Government Media Office in Gaza has raised the estimated death toll to over 61,709, stating that thousands remain missing under the rubble. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed in the October 7 attack, with more than 200 taken hostage.
