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Redemption Of Captives, Despite It All

BREAKING: Israel receives list of hostages to be released tomorrow; five Thais to be released, as well

The Prime Minister's Office announced that it has received the list of hostages to be released tomorrow, and that it will provide a more detailed update after the families have been informed.

Naama Levy is reunited with her family
Uncredited.

The Prime Minister's Office just announced today (Wednesday) that it has received the list of three hostages to be released tomorrow, and that it will provide additional details once the families of the hostages have been informed.

In addition, a government source speaking to the Israeli media said that the names on the list are "acceptable to us." Five Thai hostages will be released at the same time, according to Amit Segal.

Five additional Thai nationals will remain in Hamas captivity even after tomorrow's planned release. Israeli officials have revealed that of the remaining five Thai nationals held in Gaza, three have been confirmed deceased. The status of the other two hostages remains unclear, with Israeli authorities unable to determine their current condition.

The list of three hostages to be freed includes Arbel Yehud, who was supposed to be released last Saturday with the other four hostages in exchange for about 200 Palestinian terrorists.

Israel stated that this amounted to a "serious" violation of the hostage deal, and it decided in retaliation to close the Netzarim corridor bisecting the Gaza Strip, preventing displaced Gazans in the humanitarian zone in the Strip's center from moving back to their homes in the north.

Following intense negotiations via Egyptian and Qatari mediators, Hamas agreed to release Yehud and two other hostages before the next scheduled round of releases this Saturday.

Hamas recently told Arab media that the hostages to be released tomorrow include Arbel Yehud, a female soldier, and an adult hostage, both of whom remain unnamed.

The three hostages to be released this coming Saturday will thus all be living men.

According to N12 News, 30 terrorists with "blood on their hands" and life sentences and another 20 terrorists serving time will be released for the soldier Agam Berger. 30 minors and women will be released for Arbel Yehud. 30 prisoners will be released for the elderly hostage, 3 of them with life sentences.

Earlier in the week, the Israeli government received a full list of the hostages to be released and their condition - including whether they are alive or dead - though not on an individual basis.

According to the government, 18 of the hostages to be released in the first phase of the deal are alive, and 8 are dead.

While the Trump administration is pressuring Israel hard to complete the entire hostage deal, including ending the war, Minister Bezalel Smotrich and even some Likud ministers are opposed to a full withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip required by the deal, let alone a full end to the war.

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