TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) 鈥� on Saturday released the last six living expected under the first phase of its ceasefire with Israel with a week remaining, as questions over the next phase clouded the 's future. The release of Palestinian prisoners was delayed without explanation.
Freed were three Israeli men seized from the Nova music festival and another taken while visiting family in southern Israel during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the 16-month war in Gaza. The two others were held for a decade after entering Gaza on their own.
Five were handed over in staged ceremonies that the Red Cross, U.N. and Israel have condemned as cruel and disrespectful, escorted by masked, armed Hamas fighters in front of hundreds of Palestinians.
Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov and Eliya Cohen were posed alongside Hamas fighters. A beaming Shem Tov, acting under duress, kissed two militants on the head and blew kisses to the crowd. They wore fake army uniforms, though they were not soldiers when abducted.
Cohen鈥檚 family and friends in Israel chanted 鈥淓liya! Eliya! Eliya!鈥� and cheered.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e heroes,鈥� Shem Tov told his parents as they later embraced, laughing and crying. 鈥淵ou have no idea how much I dreamt of you." His father, Malki Shem Tov, told public broadcaster Kan his son was held alone after the first 50 days and lost 17 kilograms (37 pounds).
Earlier Saturday, Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38, were freed. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, entered Gaza in 2014. His family told Israeli media he has struggled with mental health issues. The Israeli-Austrian Shoham was taken from Kibbutz Be鈥檈ri. His wife and two children were freed in a 2023 exchange.
Later, Israel's military said Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, was released. The Bedouin Israeli entered Gaza in 2015. His family has told Israeli media he was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The release of over 600 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel 鈥� the largest one-day prisoner release in the ceasefire鈥檚 first phase 鈥� did not occur just after the hostage releases as expected, apparently for Israeli security consultations on Saturday evening.
Israel鈥檚 government didn鈥檛 respond to questions. Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire deal, with spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanou accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of 鈥渄eliberately stalling.鈥�
The hostage release followed a heartrending dispute when Hamas on Thursday handed over the wrong body for Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother . The remains were determined to be those of a Palestinian woman. Netanyahu vowed revenge for 鈥渁 cruel and malicious violation." Hamas suggested it was a mistake.
Israeli forensic authorities confirmed a body handed over on Friday was Bibas. Dr. Chen Kugel, head of the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, said they found no evidence Bibas and her children were killed in a bombing, but did not give a cause.
Hamas denied Israeli claims it was responsible for the children's deaths, calling them lies aimed at justifying Israeli military actions against civilians in Gaza.
Difficult talks likely over the ceasefire鈥檚 next phase
The ceasefire deal has paused the deadliest and most devastating fighting ever between Israel and Hamas, but there are fears the war will resume after the first phase ends.
Hamas has said it will release four bodies next week, completing the first phase. After that, Hamas will hold 鈥� about half believed to be alive.
Talks on the ceasefire鈥檚 second phase are yet to start, but negotiations are likely to be more difficult.
Hamas has said it won鈥檛 release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu, with the , says he鈥檚 committed to destroying Hamas鈥� military and governing capacities and returning all hostages, .
An Israeli official said Netanyahu would meet with security advisers on Saturday evening about the ceasefire's future, focusing 鈥渙n the goal of returning all our hostages, alive and dead.鈥� The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting had not been formally announced.
Freed hostages bring relief and a sign of life
The Beilinson hospital said Wenkert, Cohen, Shoham and Shem Tov had an 鈥渆xtremely difficult period in captivity鈥� but did not give details at the families' request.
Niva Wenkert, Omer鈥檚 mother, told Israel鈥檚 Channel 12 that 鈥渙n the surface, he looks OK, but there鈥檚 no telling what鈥檚 inside.鈥�
鈥淭his is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing together,鈥� Shoham鈥檚 family said, and called for a deal to free all still held.
Families and others rallied again Saturday night in Tel Aviv to pressure Netanyahu's government for a deal to bring everyone else home.
鈥淗ow is it possible that President Trump and special envoy (Steven) Witkoff are more committed to the return of Israeli hostages than you are?" said Naama Weinberg, cousin of deceased hostage Itay Svirsky. "Netanyahu, these are your citizens who were abandoned on your watch!鈥�
Ilan Gilboa Dalal, the father of captive Guy Gilboa-Dalal, told Israeli public broadcaster Kan the family had received the first sign of life in eight months from a newly freed hostage who had been held with him.
Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners set for release
The 620 Palestinian prisoners to be freed include 151 serving life or other sentences for attacks against Israelis. Almost 100 will be deported, according to the Palestinian prisoners' media office.
A Palestinian prisoner rights association said they include Nael Barghouti, who spent over 45 years in prison for an attack that killed an Israeli bus driver.
Also being released are 445 men, 23 children aged 15 to 19, and a woman, all seized by Israeli troops in Gaza without charge during the war.
Israel鈥檚 military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry, which doesn鈥檛 distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.
The offensive , reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble. At its height, the war displaced 90% of Gaza鈥檚 population.
The Oct. 7 attack killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers have died in the war.
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Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Jahjouh from Rafah. Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel; Abdel-Kareem Hana in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip; and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.
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Wafaa Shurafa, Mohammed Jahjouh And Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press
