Jerusalem, Oct 13: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has taken custody of the first group of Israeli hostages released by Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Monday. The seven freed hostages — Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, and Guy Gilboa-Dallal — are now en route to IDF and Shin Bet personnel stationed in the Gaza Strip.
“According to the information received from the Red Cross, seven hostages have been handed over to them and are on their way to IDF and Shin Bet forces in Gaza,” the military said in a statement.
The Israeli Air Force announced that it has completed preparations to receive the hostages returning from Gaza. A second group of captives is expected to be released later in the day at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis gathered at the Nova music festival site — the location of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre — for special holiday prayers in memory of the victims and those still held in captivity.
Earlier, Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades declared that it would release 20 Israeli captives in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal, calling the agreement a result of “the steadfastness of our people and the resilience of its resistance fighters.” The group asserted that Israel could have secured the release of its captives “many months ago” but “continued to stall.”
During the handover, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir convened a meeting with senior military officers overseeing hostage operations. He commended the teams for their readiness and stressed the need for continued vigilance as the delicate exchange process continues.
