Israel and Hamas reach Gaza ceasefire and hostage release de

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Three Israeli hostages, Eli Sharabi, 52, Or Levy, 34, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, have crossed into their homeland after they were transfered to their country's military by the Red Cross.

Hamas had earlier handed them over to the aid agency in Gaza's central city of Deir al-Balah after parading them on a stage and interviewing them.

In exchange, Israel has started to free Palestinian prisoners from the Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank. A spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said 183 would be released in a statement yesterday.

Hamas also accused Israel of multiple breaches of their ceasefire agreement by delaying the entry of hundreds trucks carrying food and other humanitarian supplies for people returning to their bombed-out homes.

So far, 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages have been released and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been freed in the first, 42-day phase of the agreement.

Israeli leaders denounce condition of the hostages
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vowed to “take appropriate measures” after today’s hostage release, pointing to “the serious condition of the three hostages.”

The freed captives looked gaunt as they were paraded on stage by Hamas just before the were transferred into the custody of the Red Cross, and they were also interviewed on stage by one of the fighters.

Netanyahu has “instructed to now allow the situation to go unaddressed,” a statement from his office said, without giving further details.

Israel's President Isaac Herzog said in separate statement the hostages were “being exploited in a cynical and cruel spectacle,” after suffering “491 days of hell.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader meets with senior Hamas officials, state media reports
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with acting Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya and two other leaders of the Palestinian group in Tehran on Saturday, Iranian state TV reported.

“You defeated the Zionist regime, which was in fact America’s defeat,” Khamenei, whose country supports Hamas in its war with Israel, told the Palestinian delegation. “You did not allow them to achieve any of their goals.”

Iranian TV said the Palestinian leaders were in Tehran to congratulate Khamenei on the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian revolution. They expressed gratitude for Iran’s continued support.

The delegation, which also included Mohammad Darwish, head of Hamas’ leadership council, and top Hamas official Nizar Awadallah, presented Khamenei a report on the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and “the victories and successes that were achieved”.

Jubilant scenes in the occupied West Bank as first prisoners arrive in Ramallah
There were jubilant scenes in the occupied West Bank today as a group of freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in the city of Ramallah earlier.

Some smiled and waved while others shed tears and they greeted their relatives.

Some of the freed Palestinian prisoners were in 'poor health condition,' Red Crescent says
Seven of the Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel today have been taken to hospital due to “their poor health condition,” according to the Red Crescent.

Hamas said yesterday that 183 would be freed today

Seventy percent of the Israeli public is in favor of continuing to the second phase of the hostage release and ceasefire deal with Hamas, according to a television poll aired Friday, which found a nearly identical figure backs US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip.

Channel 12 news said 21% of respondents are against the second stage of the agreement, which would see the release of around 24 living male hostages, and some 35 dead hostages, in return for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire in the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror onslaught.

The bodies of other captives would be returned in a third phase.

The remaining nine percent of respondents told the network they did not know whether they favor or oppose continuing to the deal’s second stage, negotiations on which were slated to begin this week.

Among those who voted for Netanyahu’s right-religious coalition, parts of which opposed the current deal, 54% back the second stage, versus 36% who are against and the remainder not knowing.

The survey also asked Israelis if they are for or against Trump’s plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza, with 69% in favor and 18% opposed. The remaining respondents did not know.

Favorability marks were far higher among coalition voters, with 90% of those included in the survey expressing support.

Despite the plan’s popularity, half of respondents say they don’t believe it will ultimately come to fruition, compared to 36% who think it will.

Channel 12 did not say how many people took part in the poll, which was conducted by Mano Geva’s Midgam polling company in cooperation with the iPanel online research firm, or provide a margin of error.

Released hostages Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami crossed the border into Israeli territory on Saturday and arrived at the initial reception point after they were transferred to Israeli forces by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

An initial medical examination reported to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Sheba Medical Center revealed that the former hostages were in serious condition. They appeared starved and may have lost some 30% of their overall weight.

Previously, the Red Cross had received the hostages from Hamas in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
Earlier, ICRC vehicles arrived in the central Gazan city to collect the three from the Hamas terrorist organization, and Red Cross personnel signed documents given by Hamas for their release.

Appearing frail and being supported by Hamas terrorists, the three hostages were forced to speak onstage before being handed over to the ICRC.

The gaunt appearance of the released hostages—who have lost significant weight due to extreme starvation, surviving on minimal carbohydrates with no protein, vitamins, or minerals—was immediately visible. But beyond the outward signs, they likely suffer from severe multi-system damage, requiring urgent medical care in Israel.

The human body relies on a continuous supply of energy and nutrients to function properly. When deprived of food for extended periods, it enters a metabolic emergency mode, breaking down fat and muscle to sustain itself. This leads to dramatic physical changes, offering clear evidence of severe malnutrition.

One key indicator of nutritional status is Body Mass Index (BMI). A BMI below 18 is classified as severe malnutrition, while a BMI below 13 is considered life-threatening, indicating the body has lost critical amounts of fat and muscle.

1. Pronounced cheekbones
Under normal conditions, cheeks are supported by a layer of fat and muscle. In cases of prolonged starvation, these fat reserves deplete, and the muscles weaken, resulting in sharp, hollow facial features.

2. Sunken facial skin and eyes
Loss of subcutaneous fat causes the skin to sag, losing its elasticity and support. This gives the face a hollow, dehydrated look. Around the eyes—where the skin is particularly delicate—deep hollows form, creating a fatigued and sickly appearance.

3. Prominent Adam’s apple
Severe malnutrition leads to significant muscle loss around the neck, making the Adam’s apple highly visible. This causes the neck to appear frail and thin, sometimes exposing the underlying bones.

4. Protruding collarbones
In healthy individuals, the clavicle (collarbone) is cushioned by a layer of fat and muscle. In cases of extreme starvation, these layers deplete, making the bones stand out sharply.

5. Widespread muscle wasting
A severe lack of protein and calories forces the body to break down its own muscle mass for energy. This leads to significant muscle shrinkage throughout the body, including in the arms, legs, face, and chest, giving an emaciated appearance.

Beyond appearance: The hidden dangers of starvation
Extreme starvation doesn’t just affect physical appearance—it wreaks havoc on overall health. The immune system weakens, body temperature drops, and individuals experience extreme fatigue and deep depression. In the most severe cases, the damage may be irreversible, leading to long-term complications in the cardiovascular system, bones, and nervous system.

Muscle wasting also affects the heart, reducing its ability to function properly. The weakening of respiratory muscles between the ribs can cause breathing difficulties, and the digestive system muscles may atrophy, further complicating recovery.

Rehabilitation from such conditions requires intensive medical supervision, including gradual refeeding and close monitoring of organ function to prevent life-threatening complications such as refeeding syndrome and mitigate the damage caused by prolonged starvation.

Released hostage Eli Sharabi’s first request when he was back in Israel was to see his family, because he was unaware that his wife and two daughters were murdered in the Hamas onslaught on October 7, 2023, Hebrew media reported.

Sharabi’s wife Lianne and their daughters, Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were killed in their home’s safe room at Kibbutz Be’eri, and he and his elder brother Yossi were taken captive.

Yossi has since been confirmed dead, and Hamas is holding his body.

According to Channel 12 news, Sharabi was notified of his wife and daughters’ deaths after his return from the Gaza Strip. He was initially reunited with his mother Hannah and sister Osnat, and subsequently with other members of his family. His family was reportedly given advice on how to break the terrible news.

He was already aware that Yossi had been killed, as Hamas announced the death, to great applause, as masked terrorists paraded Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah before handing the emaciated hostages to the Red Cross on Saturday morning.

It was unclear if Sharabi knew of Yossi’s death beforehand.

Like Sharabi, Levy also returned to tragedy. His wife Eynav Elkayam Levy was murdered in the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival, where Or Levy was abducted.

He spoke with their 3-year-old son Almog in a video call after being released. “Dad, it took you a long time to come back,” Almog told his father.

Sharabi and Ben Ami are longtime friends from Kibbutz Be’eri, which was ravaged in the Hamas onslaught. The community said in a statement that Sharabi “is coming back from one impossible reality in captivity, to a most terrible reality in Israel.”