By Gwurld4026 
Israeli Hostages Freed by Hamas in Truce Agreement
On Saturday, February 22, 2025, Hamas released six Israeli hostages as part of a ceasefire agreement. The first two, Avera Mengistu and Tal Shoham, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Rafah, southern Gaza, and transported to Israel. Mengistu had been held since 2014, while Shoham was abducted in 2023.
Later that day, three more hostages—Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, and Omer Wenkert—were released in Nuseirat, central Gaza. The final hostage, Hisham al-Sayed, was also set for release. In exchange, Israel agreed to release 602 Palestinian prisoners.
This exchange concludes the first phase of the ceasefire, during which Hamas has released a total of 33 hostages. Further negotiations are anticipated to address the remaining hostages and the potential extension of the ceasefire.