 "Who are the 33 hostages set for release in Gaza ceasefire deal?")
After over 450 days of captivity stemming from the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, a deal has been finalised between Hamas and Israel that could bring the release of 33 hostages (as part of the first phase) held in Gaza.
The agreement, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, includes a phased exchange: Hamas will release the hostages, while Israel will free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. This first phase is expected to begin on Sunday, January 19, following approval from Israel’s Security Cabinet.
The hostages, who include women, children, the elderly, and several dual nationals, have endured over a year of uncertainty.
The Israeli government announced that the release process will only proceed after families are notified and the hostages are confirmed to be in Israeli custody.
Who are the 33 hostages set to be released?
The published list of hostages includes individuals of all ages and backgrounds, each with a harrowing story of capture during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
The names are: Liri Albag, Itzhak Elgarat, Karina Ariev, Ohad Ben Ami, Ariel Bibas, Yarden Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Shiri Bibas, Agam Berger, Gonen Romi, Daniella Gilboa, Emily Damari, Sagui Dekel Chen, Iair Horn, Omer Wenkert, Alexandre Sasha Troufanov, Arbel Yehoud, Ohad Yahalomi, Eliya Cohen, Or Levy, Naama Levy, Oded Lifshitz, Gadi Moshe Mozes, Avraham (Avera) Mengisto, Shlomo Mantzur , Keith Samuel Sigal, Tsachi Idan, Ofer Kalderon, Tal Shoham, Doron Steinbrecher, Omer Shem Tov, Hisham Al-Sayed , Eli Sharabi.
What we know about them, as reported by The Jewish Chronicle:
Soldiers and military personnel
Liri Albag (19): A soldier in training as a lookout at the Nahal Oz base when the attack occurred. Her family received messages from her through other released hostages.
Karina Ariev (20): A soldier abducted from Nahal Oz base. Her sister Alexandra heard gunfire during a call with Karina, and later, Hamas released a video showing her being taken away.
Agam Berger (20): Another soldier from Nahal Oz base, she was seen in a Hamas video during her abduction.
Daniel Gilboa (20): Based at Nahal Oz, she appeared in a July 2024 video appealing for the release of all hostages.
Naama Levy (20): Captured with her hands tied and bundled into a jeep. She had just begun her military service.
Civilians and elders
Kfir Bibas (1) and Ariel Bibas (5): The youngest hostages were abducted alongside their parents, Shiri and Yarden, from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Kfir was just nine months old at the time of their capture.
Shiri Bibas (33) and Yarden Bibas (36): Parents of Kfir and Ariel, they were also taken during the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Oded Lifshitz (84): A founding member of Kibbutz Nir Oz and peace activist. Captured with his wife Yocheved, who was later released.
Keith Shmuel Siegel (65): An American-Israeli abducted alongside his wife Aviva, who was released a month later.
Eliyahu Sharabi (52): Taken from Kibbutz Be’eri, where his wife and two teenage daughters were murdered during the attack.
Gadi Moshe Mozes (80): An agricultural expert from Nir Oz. His partner was killed during the attack, and his family last saw him in a December 2023 propaganda video.
Shlomo Mantzur (86): Taken from Kibbutz Kissufim, where he worked as a chicken coop manager. His wife managed to escape.
Hisham al-Sayed (36): A Bedouin Arab Israeli who has been held by Hamas since 2015.
Ohad Ben Ami (55): Captured with his wife, Raz, who was later released.
Ohad Yahalomi (50): Taken with his 12-year-old son, Eitan, who was released in November 2023.
Offe Kalderon (53): Abducted with his children, Erez and Sahar, who were released earlier.
Tsachi Idan (50): was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz during the attack, in which his daughter Ma’ayan lost her life.
Itzhak Elgarat (69): Shot in the hand during the attack and later abducted. His phone was traced to Gaza.
Alexandre Sasha Troufanov (28): Abducted alongside his partner Sapir Cohen, mother Lena, and grandmother Irina. The women were released in November 2023.
Eliya Cohen (27): Captured alongside his girlfriend, who was later released. Eliya was later shown in a Hamas video.
Tal Shoham (39): Taken from Kibbutz Be’eri. His wife and children were released in November 2023.
Omer Shem Tov (21): Captured after attempting to rescue friends from Kibbutz Nahal Oz.
Romi Gonen (24): Abducted while fleeing the Supernova festival. Her mother has been actively campaigning for her release.
Doron Steinbrecher (31): A veterinary nurse abducted from her Kibbutz Kfar Aza apartment. Her last voice message said, “They’ve arrived, they have me.”
Or Levy (34): Captured while fleeing the festival with his wife, who was later found dead in a bomb shelter.
Omer Wenkert (23): A restaurant manager seen in a Hamas video, handcuffed and in underwear.
Arbel Yehoud (29): Yehoud was abducted along with her partner Ariel Cunio (27) from Nir Oz.
Internationals
Sagui Dekel Chen (36): An American-Israeli taken from Nir Oz. His wife gave birth to their third child during his captivity.
Emily Damari (28): A British-Israeli citizen abducted from southern Israel. Emily suffered gunshot wounds during the attack. Damari is one of the few international hostages.
Iair Horn (46): An Argentinian construction worker captured from Nir Oz.
Keith Samuel Sigal (65): An American-Israeli qualifying for release due to his age.
Avera Mengistu (38): An Ethiopian-born Israeli who crossed into Gaza in 2014. One of Hamas’s longest-held captives.
A turning point for the war in Gaza?
The deal was announced in Doha, Qatar, signalling a potential turning point in the 15-month conflict. While the hostages’ release is a central component, the ceasefire also aims to facilitate increased humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated, “Pending approval… the release of the hostages will be implemented according to the planned framework.”
The agreement comes after months of high-stakes negotiations. US President Joe Biden, in a statement, said, “This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity.”
Though 33 hostages are set for release in the first phase, over 90 individuals remain in Gaza, with Israeli officials confirming that at least 34 of them are deceased. The first phase will span six weeks, during which more names will likely emerge.
The agreement also includes the release of three American-Israeli hostages in separate phases. Sagui Dekel-Chen and Keith Siegel are set for early release, while Edan Alexander, 20, will follow due to his military service with the Israel Defense Forces.
With inputs from agencies
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