This weekend six more Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza will be released as part of the latest round of such releases in accordance with the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Two of the hostages, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed have been held captive for more than a decade, and four, Eliya Cohen, Omer Wenkert, Omer Sham Tov, Tal Shoham have been held hostage since the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror massacre. But not everyone is happy with the terms of the deal which will see hundreds of terrorists released from Israeli prisons.
Unfortunately, four deceased hostages’ bodies will be returned to Israel on Thursday, including at least three who were still alive when taken to Gaza on October 7: Shiri Bibas and her two young children Kfir and Ariel. Kfir was only nine months old when he was taken.
“This Thursday, four deceased hostages will be returned to Israel. Pursuant to the agreement, four additional deceased hostages are due to be returned to Israel next week,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday. “Understandings have been reached in the Cairo negotiations according to which six living first-stage hostages will be released on Saturday.”
In exchange for the last four living hostages, Israel will release 444 Gazan prisoners detained after October 7. Additionally, 48 terrorists serving life sentences—some of whom will be deported—along with 60 prisoners serving lengthy terms, will also be freed. Furthermore, on March 1, as part of the deal to secure the hostages’ release, all remaining female and minor terrorists will be released.
Israel’s Channel 12 News, citing Palestinian sources, reports that 68-year-old terrorist Na’el al-Barghouti is expected to be released on Saturday. Al-Barghouti, who was sentenced to life plus 18 years for the brutal 1978 murder of bus driver Mordechai Yakuel, has already spent 45 years behind bars. Initially freed in the 2011 Shalit deal, he was later re-arrested for violating his release conditions. This time, his release comes with a clear condition—deportation.
Other Palestinian sources told Channel 12 News that the terrorist Bilal Abu Ghanem is also expected to be released on Saturday, after being sentenced to three life sentences and 60 years in prison for the murder of three Israelis. Abu Ghanem murdered Haim Habib, Alon Andre Govberg and Richard Leikin and wounded 15 others in a bus attack in Jerusalem’s Armon Hanatziv neighborhood in October 2015. He was convicted of three murders and seven attempted murders.
