Hamas freed eight hostages on Jan. 30 as part of the ceasefire-hostage deal, NBC News reported.
Israel was set to release 110 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Still, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, delayed the release of the Palestinians over the angry mob of people at the hostage handovers, calling it “horrific.”
The New York Post reported that Netanyahu said, “I view with great severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is further proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organization.”
The freed hostages included Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Rumnao Surasak from Thailand, as well as Agam Berger, Arbel Yehoud, and Gadi Moses.
Agam Berger is a young Israeli soldier who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and spent almost 500 days in captivity. Gadi Moses is an 80-year-old who spent nearly 15 months in Gaza but was reunited with his children just Thursday.
Hamas also confirmed the death of the leader of their military wing, Mohammed al-Deif. Mohammed al-Deif was a Palestinian militant and the head of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islamist organization Hamas. Israel said they had killed Deif in July, but Hamas only confirmed it this Thursday.
Since the ceasefire came into effect on Jan. 19, 15 hostages have been released from Gaza, and 82 are yet to be released.
