Hamas wing releases first batch of seven out of 20 surviving hostages

GAZA CITY: Hamas’s armed wing on Monday published a list of 20 surviving hostages held in Gaza, seven of whom later freed as part of a deal reached with Israel.

Hamas handed over the first seven of 20 surviving Israeli hostages to Red Cross representatives in Gaza on Monday, sparking cheers of joy in Tel Aviv where a huge crowd was gathered to support hostage families.

“According to information provided by the Red Cross, seven hostages have been transferred into their custody, and are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli military and security service said.

The hostages named by the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades on its Telegram channel are among 48 captives — both living and deceased — held by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

A Red Cross convoy is on its way to pick up a first batch of Israeli hostages to be freed by Hamas as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal, the Israeli military said Monday.

Earlier army statement said the handover would take place at “a meeting point in the northern Gaza Strip where several hostages will be transferred”.

“The IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on,” it added after Hamas’s armed wing published a list of 20 surviving hostages it intends to release.

Those who will be released included Sergeant Matan Angrest, 22, who was captured in his tank near the border with the Gaza Strip after trying to stop Hamas commandos from crossing into Israel near the Nahal Oz base.

Other hostages included Gali and Ziv Berman, twins were abducted in the youth area of the Kfar Aza kibbutz, which Hamas fighters set on fire.

Elkana Bohbot, 36, one of the producers of the Supernova music festival, Rom Braslavski, 21, an Israeli-German from Jerusalem, Nimrod Cohen, 21, Israeli-Argentinian brothers David and Ariel Cunio, Evyatar David, 24, Guy Gilboa Dalal, 24 Maxim Herkin, 37,Eitan Horn, 39, Segev Kalfon, 27, Bar Kuperstein, 23, Omri Miran, 48, Eitan Mor, 25, Yosef Haim Ohana, 25, Alon Ohel, 24, Avinatan Or, 32, Matan Zangauker, 25.

Matan Zangauker was kidnapped from his home in Nir Oz kibbutz with his Israeli-Mexican girlfriend Ilana Gritzewsky.

She was released in November 2023, during the first truce in the two-year war.