Jerusalem: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a statement welcoming home the three Israelis who were released Thursday from captivity in Gaza — Agam Berger, Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses.
Netanyahu also criticised how Hamas handled their release.
“Agam, Arbel, Gadi — welcome home,” he said.
“The entire State of Israel embraces you, as do my wife Sara and I.”
“This release was achieved, first of all, thanks to our heroic soldiers, and it was also achieved thanks to the steadfast and determined stand that we took during the negotiations,” Netanyahu added.
However, the Prime Minister also had a few words about the chaos in Gaza that the freed Israelis experienced during their release saying, “We will not accept violations of the agreement. During the release of our hostages today, we all saw shocking scenes. We made it clear to the mediators that we do not intend to accept any risk to our hostages.”
“And I will add: Whoever dares to harm our hostages – will pay the price.”
The three Israeli hostages released in Gaza Thursday were earlier named by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which also confirmed that five Thai nationals were also freed.
“The list of names received from Hamas today by the mediators Qatar and Egypt includes: Arbel Yehoud (29 years old), Agam Berger (19), and Gadi Moses (80),” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed the identities of the five Thai nationals released in Gaza earlier on Thursday. They have been named as Pongsak Thanna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Saethao and Surasak Lamnao.
Israeli authorities also released 110 Palestinian prisoners Thursday as part of the ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas.. Of those, 32 were sentenced to life imprisonment, another 30 were children, and 48 were prisoners with high sentences, according to Hamas.
All released prisoners were “transferred from several detention facilities across the country to be absorbed in the Ofer and Ketziot prisons” before being freed, the Israel Prison Service said in a statement Thursday.
Eight hostages taken by Hamas and other armed groups in the October 7, 2023 attacks were also released in Gaza Thursday.
IANS