Israel announced on Wednesday that eight total hostages, three Israeli citizens, and five Thai nationals, will be released from Gaza on Thursday as part of ongoing negotiations with Hamas.
According to the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the three Israeli hostages set for release are Arbel Yehud, Agam Berger, and Gadi Moses. The five Thai citizens were also confirmed to be among those freed. The names were disclosed only after informing the families, as per the government’s policy.
Netanyahu had previously said that three more hostages would be released on Thursday, while three others are expected to be released on Saturday. The fourth exchange on Saturday will involve three Israeli men whose families will be notified a day prior.
Yehud’s release had been one of the main demands of Israeli authorities in a previous swap on Saturday, when hundreds of thousands of Gaza’s displaced residents were permitted to return to northern Gaza. However, confirmation of her status came only after Islamic Jihad released a video showing her alive, prompting Israel to ease restrictions on displaced Palestinians returning home.
In the video, Yehud appeared clearly distraught, identifying herself and the date before pleading with Netanyahu to bring the other hostages home. Berger is a soldier taken while stationed at the Gaza border during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
The release is part of an ongoing negotiation process aimed at securing the return of Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza.