Hamas prepares to hand over 6 Israeli captives in Gaza
2 hostages to be freed in Rafah, 4 in Nuseirat
Preparations in Rafah continue for the prisoner and hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel
GAZA CITY, Palestine
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, began on Saturday preparations to hand over six Israeli captives as part of the seventh exchange deal in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, prepared to hand over 6 Israeli captives as part of the seventh exchange deal in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza ⤵️
In exchange, Israel is set to release 602 Palestinian prisoners https://t.co/z6e8yqCwn4 pic.twitter.com/lkSskJMmzW
The group has designated two handover sites: one in Rafah, southern part of the besieged enclave, and another in Nuseirat, central Gaza.
In Rafah, the designated site is less than a kilometer from Israeli army positions in the south of the city.
The area saw a large gathering of Palestinians, while Al-Qassam fighters were stationed nearby awaiting the start of the transfer process, according to an Anadolu correspondent on the ground.
Two Israeli captives, Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu, are expected to be handed over at this location.
Similarly, in Nuseirat, crowds of Palestinians gathered at the designated site, anticipating the handover of the other four captives.
Captives Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem-Tov, Omer Wenkert, Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu, and Hisham Al-Sayed are to be released, according to the Hamas military wing's spokesman.
In exchange, Israel is set to release 602 Palestinian prisoners, including 50 serving life sentences and 60 with lengthy prison terms.
Forty-seven prisoners who were re-arrested after being freed in the 2011 Shalit deal will also be set free along with 445 detainees from Gaza who were held after Oct. 7, 2023.
Since the start of the Jan. 19 ceasefire, Hamas has released 19 Israeli captives, and four bodies in six previous exchanges.
Thirty-three hostages are due to be released under the first phase.
The ceasefire deal took effect last month, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,000 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.
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