Three more Israeli hostages were released by Hamas on Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel, some 16 months after being abducted into Gaza on October 7, 2023.
Eli Sharabi, 52; Or Levy, 34; and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, looked much frailer than any of the hostages released in previous installments, with Health Ministry officials describing their physical state as “severely malnourished.”
Armed Hamas terrorists once again paraded the hostages on a stage, this time in the city of Deir al-Balah, declaring victory over Israel, and forcing the three men to thank their captors. Deir al-Balah is a designated “humanitarian zone,” where most of the aid that Israel is channeling into Gaza is being directed.
Sharabi, Levy and Ben Ami were then handed over to the Red Cross, while carrying the now-infamous “certificates of release.”
The Red Cross vehicles transported the three to IDF forces stationed inside Gaza, who took the men to the Israeli side of the border, in what has now become part of the regular proceedings.
At a military base on the Israeli side of the border, the three men were greeted by close relatives and underwent a preliminary medical examination.
Sharabi, Levy and Ben Ami were then airlifted to hospitals, where they will remain for the next few days. Ben Ami was taken to Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, while Sharabi and Levy were transferred to Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan.
Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of the General Medicine Division at the Health Ministry, told reporters that medical staff who conducted an initial checkup of the three men “witnessed signs of extreme malnutrition.”
“We were moved to see them walk upright, with their heads held high,” she added.
Coming home to new reality
Ben Ami, who also holds German citizenship, was abducted into Gaza from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7 along with his wife, Raz, who was released in a prisoner exchange deal in November 2023.
The image of barefoot Ben Ami being led away in his underwear by Hamas terrorists was among the first visuals that began circulating the media on the morning of October 7. Ben Ami’s three daughters campaigned tirelessly for his release.
Levy was abducted from the Nova music festival, which he attended with his wife Eynav. When the terror attack began, the two hid in a nearby bomb shelter. Or was kidnapped alive, while Eynav’s body was found in the bomb shelter days later.
The couple’s son, Almog, 3, has been raised by grandparents ever since. Levy told relatives upon his release that while his captors told him that Eynav was dead, he was hoping she had survived.
The most tragic case of the three men appears to be that of Sharabi.
Sharabi’s British-Israeli wife, Lianne, and his two teenage daughters Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were all murdered on October 7 at their home in Kibbutz Be’eri. Sharabi and his brother, Yossi, were abducted to Gaza alive. Several months ago, the IDF said they have evidence to conclude that Yossi was killed in captivity. It appears that he was killed during an IDF strike.
Sharabi did not know, while in captivity, that his wife and daughters were no longer alive, and learned the tragic news upon his release.
Over a dozen additional hostages are expected to be released in the coming weeks as part of the deal brokered between Israel and terrorist groups in Gaza. In return, Israel is expected to free nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, hundreds of them jailed for their roles in deadly terror attacks
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