TIMES OF ISRAEL
Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Mozes, 5 Thais, freed amid mayhem in Khan Younis; Agam Berger released
Emanuel Fabian, Amy Spiro and Elana Kirsh
January 30, 2025

Eight hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel were released by Palestinian terror groups on Thursday under an ongoing ceasefire deal with Hamas, returning to Israel after 482 days in captivity in Gaza. Seven of them were freed in a long, chaotic process in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis that prompted fury in Israel. The three Israelis are IDF surveillance soldier Agam Berger, 20, and civilians Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Mozes, 80. The Thai nationals are Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Rumnao Surasak. Yehoud, Mozes and the five Thais were released in an uncontrolled and dangerous handover early Thursday afternoon, outside the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, surrounded by hundreds of masked gunmen and large, seething crowds. READ MORE

I24NEWS VIDEO: Arbel Yehud released amid seething Khan Yunis mob

COMMENTARY Seth Mandel: You’re Lucky To Survive Being Freed By Hamas But when Israeli hostages are released by Hamas, Gazans first film themselves hungrily getting in their last war crimes before the coming drought. It is dangerous business, this getting freed by Hamas. So the emotions begin not at relief but at horror: The price of freedom is one last, live torture session.

JPOST Bibas family remain captive in Gaza, as Israel hopes against hope for their return As world awaits news of the Bibas family during the Gaza ceasefire, supporters don orange clothing to honor the red-headed children who have become symbols of the hostage crisis…Itamar Lippner, a Tel Aviv attorney, might have been speaking for an entire nation when he posted on social media this week, “All the signs point to bad news.”