After nearly 500 days in captivity, the Palestinian militant group Hamas released three more Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel. The frail and malnourished condition of the freed hostages—Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami—shocked Israel, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call Hamas “monsters” and reiterated his vow to eliminate the group.
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The three men, visibly weak and thin, were first made to participate in a Hamas-directed handover ceremony, where they had to answer questions posed by a masked man, while armed Hamas fighters stood beside them. The ceremony, broadcast live, showed the hostages in worse condition than the 18 others released earlier under a truce deal agreed upon in January, 15 months into the war.
“He looked like a skeleton; it was awful to see,” said Michal Cohen, mother-in-law of Ohad Ben Ami, recalling the distressing visuals from the live telecast.
There are no words. pic.twitter.com/y8Osk7jPp5
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) February 8, 2025
Israeli PM Netanyahu: “We Will Eliminate Hamas”
Reacting to the harrowing sight, Prime Minister Netanyahu released a video statement, reaffirming his commitment to bring back all remaining hostages and wipe out Hamas.
“We will eliminate Hamas, and we will return our hostages,” he declared.
Later, Israel’s official social media accounts shared before-and-after photos of the three men with the caption: “There are no words.”
Hostages in Critical Medical Condition After Release
After being handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the freed hostages were taken to Israeli military forces before being transferred to hospitals, where they were tearfully reunited with their families.
???? Medical Condition of Released Hostages:
✔ Ohad Ben Ami, abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7 Hamas-led attack, was found in severe nutritional distress, with doctors confirming he had lost a significant amount of body weight.
✔ Or Levy and Eli Sharabi were also found in poor health, with doctors calling their condition “more serious than previous hostages.”
Yael Frenkel Nir, director of Sheba Hospital, where the hostages are being treated, stated:
“The consequences of 491 long days in captivity are evident. Their medical condition is poor, and this is the worst case we have seen so far.”
Emotional Family Reunions: Tears, Laughter, and Painful Realizations
After months of captivity, the three hostages were finally reunited with their families, in highly emotional scenes.
???? Heart-Wrenching Moments:
✔ Ohad Ben Ami, despite being extremely weak, ran toward his daughters, cracking a joke: “I left XXL and came back medium.”
✔ Or Levy’s mother, Geula, broke into tears as she embraced her son: “We missed you so much.”
✔ Eli Sharabi’s reunion was bittersweet—his two teenage daughters and wife had been killed in the October 7 Hamas attack, but he was not informed of their deaths immediately. When he arrived in Israel, he asked about his family, unaware of the tragedy.
Wrapped in an Israeli flag, Sharabi was welcomed at Sheba Hospital by his two sisters and brother, his head covered with a Jewish prayer shawl (Talith).
Prisoner Swap: Israel Releases 183 Palestinian Prisoners
In return for the three hostages, Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners, including some convicted in deadly attacks.
???? Breakdown of Released Prisoners:
✔ 41 released in the West Bank city of Ramallah
✔ 4 released in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem
✔ 131 transferred to Gaza
✔ 7 deported to Egypt
However, Israel imposed strict conditions on their release, forbidding celebrations. The Israeli military issued warnings, stating:
“Celebrations and processions in support of terrorism are prohibited during the release of the terrorists.”
???? Palestinian Prisoners in Poor Health:
✔ In Ramallah, released prisoners required medical assistance, with some being carried off buses by medics.
✔ Abdullah al-Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, confirmed that seven prisoners had to be hospitalized.
✔ “All the prisoners released today require urgent medical care,” he stated, adding that many had been mistreated in Israeli custody.
Hamas and Israel: What Happens Next?
This latest hostage swap highlights the fragile nature of the ceasefire deal and raises questions about future negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
???? Key Takeaways:
✔ Hamas still holds dozens of Israeli hostages, increasing pressure on Netanyahu’s government to negotiate further.
✔ Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas, but international mediators continue to push for peace talks.
✔ The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening, with both sides facing accusations of human rights violations.
As tensions remain high, the world watches to see what unfolds next in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
