Hamas transferred the final living hostages it agreed to release back to Israel Saturday as part of the cease-fire agreement to halt the war in Gaza. The terrorist group transferred two hostages, Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu in the southern Gazan city of Rafah and turned them over to Red Cross officials. Afterwards, Hamas released three hostages in central Gaza, Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, and Omer Wenkert.

Finally, in Gaza City, Hamas handed over Hisham al-Sayed to Red Cross agents. Hamas apprehended al-Sayed and Mengistu over a decade ago, and the other four hostages were seized during Hamas’ mass civilian killing on October 7, 2023. Five of the six hostages were released in propaganda ceremonies and later reunited with their family. The Israeli military published touching videos on social media of the rescued hostages embracing loved ones after enduring immeasurable amounts of trauma. “They return from the depths of hell to begin the healing and recovery process alongside their loving families, who fought with all their strength for them,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement.

“The conclusion of a hostage situation is a humanitarian, moral, and Jewish necessity. According to the testimonials of captives who have returned in recent weeks, they are in great humanitarian need, and their immediate repatriation is critical. We must do everything necessary to free all of the hostages held in Gaza—until the very last one!” The freed hostages are the final set of living hostages that Hamas agreed to release during phase one of its cease-fire agreement with Israel to halt fighting in Gaza. The cease-fire agreement was reached last month by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar after Israel waged a multi-front regional war for more than a year following the October 7 killing. Israel will hand up approximately 600 Palestinian inmates in exchange for this group of hostages.

“The sixth hostage has just been released by Hamas!” President Donald Trump commented on Truth Social.

Cohen, Shem Tov, and Wenkert were apprehended by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 massacre at the Nova Music Festival, in which 364 people were killed and around 44 partygoers were apprehended. Tal Shoham was kidnapped in Kibbutz Be’eri, along with several of his family members, during Hamas’ October 7 assault, and his father-in-law was killed. His wife, two small daughters, and mother-in-law were released at the November 2023 hostage exchange. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, was kidnapped two weeks after traveling into Gaza alone in September 2014. Similarly, Al-Sayed was kidnapped months later when entering into Gaza in February 2015. Mengistu and Al-Sayed are thought to have struggled with mental illnesses.

The captive transfer occurred when Hamas decided to hand over to Israel the corpse of a Gazan lady on Thursday rather than Shiri Bibas, an Israeli prisoner whose body was due to be returned along with her two young sons. Shiri Bibas and her sons were kidnapped on October 7, with nine-month-old Kfir being the youngest Israeli prisoner taken in the midst of Hamas’ cruelty. The Bibas family announced on Friday that Hamas had returned her remains after initially transporting the wrong body. Israel has established that Hamas terrorists killed Bibas and her children in captivity. An estimated 70 hostages are still held captive by Hamas, with around half of them believed to be alive. Edan Alexander, a New Jersey native, is thought to be the last alive person.