Hamas, Israel to begin 5th hostage-prisoner exchange

Hamas is set to release three Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, marking the fifth exchange under a fragile cease-fire in Gaza.

The exchange comes amid regional tensions, heightened by a controversial proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting the depopulation of Gaza and U.S. control over the territory.

3 Israeli hostages to be released

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed on Friday that it had received a list of hostages set for release.

Hamas named the three captives as Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami, a list later confirmed by Netanyahu’s office.

The release follows an appeal from Yarden Bibas, a former hostage freed last week, who urged Netanyahu to secure the return of his wife and two children. Hamas previously claimed that Bibas’ wife, Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, were dead, though Israel has not confirmed their deaths.

Netanyahu, currently in Washington, will oversee the exchange from a delegation control center in the U.S., his office said.

Palestinian prisoners to be released

Hamas’ Prisoners’ Information Office published the names of 183 Palestinian detainees scheduled for release. The list includes:

• 18 detainees serving life sentences.
• 54 individuals with long-term sentences.
• Seven detainees are set for deportation outside of Palestine.
• 111 Palestinians were arrested in Gaza after Oct. 7, 2023.

Palestinian human rights groups estimate that Israel holds more than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 600 serving life sentences.

Pressure to uphold cease-fire

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum urged the Israeli government to maintain the truce, despite widespread backlash over Trump’s remarks.

“An entire nation demands to see the hostages return home,” the group said in a statement, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the deal continues “until the very last one.”

So far, Israel and Hamas have completed four hostage-prisoner swaps under the cease-fire agreement. Palestinian militants have released 18 Israeli hostages, while Israel has freed around 600 Palestinian detainees.

The cease-fire, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S., aims to facilitate the release of 33 Israeli hostages—both living and deceased—within 42 days. Talks for a second phase of the cease-fire, which would secure further hostage releases and potentially lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities, were set to begin Monday, though no updates have been provided.

Ongoing conflict and casualty toll

The war, which gained a new level on Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel and took 251 hostages, has left 76 captives still in Gaza, including 34 whom Israel believes to be dead.

Israel’s military campaign has resulted in at least 47,583 deaths in Gaza, primarily civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.