Photo: CNN. Three male Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners were freed in the fifth round of exchanges between Israel and Hamas as Israel expressed concern about the appearance of the released captives. While the transfer was orderly - in contrast to chaotic scenes surrounding the release of Israeli and Thai hostages in Gaza last week - the three appeared thin and pale when they were led onto a makeshift stage. On stage and surrounded by Hamas militants, Ami and Sharabi, who were dressed in brown, and Levy, who was dressed in green, delivered speeches in Hebrew.
They were then led to three Red Cross vehicles waiting to take them back to Israel. The Red Cross then passed the hostages to the Israel Defense Forces IDF in Gaza, who transferred them back to Israel, where they underwent an initial medical assessment before being reunited with their families.
Following their transfer, Hamas also released a highly produced propaganda video showing the three men together inside a tunnel, in what was a departure from previous hostage releases. The scenes during Saturday's hostage handover have drawn condemnation from Israel. Levy - who was released as he was considered a humanitarian case - appeared particularly frail.
The Israeli government described the scenes as "shocking" and said they "would not go unaddressed," while Israel's Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the freed hostages' appearances were "disturbing. The Nir Oz kibbutz in southern Israel, among the hardest hit in the 7 October attacks, said it was "happy and excited" for the hostages' return Saturday, adding: "These images and the conditions in which they returned will be etched in the memory of the world and will be [an] eternal testimony to the failure, to all who chose to oppose the deal, to all who continue to explain why we should wait, postpone or hesitate.
Ben Ami, 56, and Sharabi, 52, were both taken from their homes in Kibbutz Be'eri, about 4km from the Gaza border. Photo: -. Ben Ami's wife, Raz Ben Ami, also taken captive that day, was freed during a short-lived truce in November Sharabi's wife and daughters were killed in the 7 October attack, according to the kibbutz.
