Hamas freed six hostages on Saturday in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners as part of the fragile ceasefire agreement with Israel.

The first two men released were identified as Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 39. Video footage showed the two men looking frail and scared as they were taken to a stage in front of a crowd while flanked by masked gunmen. They were handed over to the Red Cross and were on their way to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). 

An additional three hostages – Omer Wenkert, 23; Omer Shem Tov, 22, and Eliya Cohen, 27 – were subsequently released in the central town of Nuseirat. They were dressed in fake army uniforms, though they were not soldiers when they were kidnapped. 

The three were put in Red Cross vehicles that then headed for Israel. 

President Donald Trump seemed to welcome the news, writing on Truth Social, «SIXTH HOSTAGE HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED BY HAMAS!»

Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, an Israeli Bedouin who was kidnapped by Hamas in April 2015, was officially handed off to the Red Cross on Saturday after nearly 10 years in Gaza.

L-R: Omer Shem Tov; Omer Wenkrat; and Avera Mengistu.  (Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

«A short while ago, accompanied by IDF and ISA forces, the two returning hostages crossed the border into Israeli territory, and they are currently on their way to an initial reception point in southern Israel, where they will be reunited with members of their families,» the statement said after Shoham and Mengistu were freed earlier on Saturday.

«According to the information communicated by the Red Cross, three hostages were transferred to them, and they are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip,» a later statement said, adding: «The IDF is prepared to receive an additional hostage who is due to be transferred to the Red Cross in the near future.»

Avera Mengistu reunites with brother and sister after more than 10 years.  (IDF)

Two of the hostages — Mengistu and Al-Sayed — are civilians who have been held since entering Gaza on their own more than a decade ago, long before the war sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel, which prompted military retaliation from Israeli forces.

Palestinians gather as Hamas fighters escort Red Cross vehicles ahead of the handover of Israeli hostages in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Shoham’s family said in a statement that his release from Hamas captivity «is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing together.»

«Our Tal is with us. We thank all the people of Israel who stood with us through all the long days of pain and suffering,» the statement said. «During these days, we need privacy for Tal, Adi, and the children. At this crucial moment in our lives, our only request is to seize this window of opportunity to secure a deal that will bring fathers back to their children – children need their fathers – and return all hostages home: the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for eternal rest. There is a window of opportunity; we must not miss it.»

L-R: Eliya Cohen; Tal Shoham; and Hisham Al-Sayed.  (Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

Mengistu’s family also released a statement saying they have «endured ten years and five months of unimaginable suffering.»

«During this time, there have been continuous efforts to secure his return, with prayers and pleas, some silent, that remained unanswered until today,» the family said. «In these moments, we gather in anxious anticipation of the return of our beloved son, brother, and uncle Avera. We ask that these moments be respected, and that we be granted the peace and rest we so desperately need.»

Former Hamas hostage Omer Shem Tov reunites with his family after 505 days in captivity

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also released a statement from Shem Tov’s family in which they celebrated his return, thanking the IDF and God. His family also vowed to fight for the remaining hostages.

«Our Omeriko is home after 505 days of suffering and nightmare. Our child, our brother, who became a child of the entire state of Israel since October 7th, has returned home despite medical difficulties. We still don’t know everything – the horror stories will only be revealed with time. But now, we can hug him again,» the statement read. 

«We will continue to fight together with all the families and the Hostages Families Forum – our lifeline from the first moment – until every hostage returns home, for rehabilitation or proper burial.»

Omer Wenkert has an emotional reunion with his parents after spending 505 days in Hamas captivity. (IDF)

Wenkert also enjoyed an emotional reunion with his parents. As they hugged, his father said the Jewish prayer «Shehecheyanu,» which is often recited in joyous moments.

Tal Shoham reunites with family, some of whom were also taken captive on Oct. 7. (IDF)

Shoham also reunited with his family, some of whom saw the horrors of Hamas captivity first-hand. On Oct. 7, Shoham was kidnapped along with his wife, two children, mother-in-law and two other family members all of whom were freed in November 2023.

One of the hostages released from Israel allegedly brought back a sign of life from Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who was taken captive on Oct. 7, 2023, TPS-IL, an Israeli news agency, reported. Gilboa-Dalal is not one of the hostages set to be released in the current phase of the deal.

REMAINS OF SHIRI BIBAS, MOM OF TWO KILLED, ALLEGEDLY RETURNED TO ISRAEL FOLLOWING HAMAS’ BROKEN PROMISE

This comes as the delicate ceasefire deal reached a month ago remains in place despite recent revelations that hostage Shiri Bibas’ body was not initially returned to Israel as promised by Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas would «pay the full price» for allegedly handing over the body of a Palestinian woman from Gaza instead of the body of the Israeli hostage. The hostage’s sons — Ariel and Kfir Bibas — along with Oded Lifshitz were returned by Hamas on Thursday as expected.

TERROR GROUP RESPONDS AFTER FAILING TO RETURN THE BODY OF MURDERED HOSTAGE SHIRI BIBAS

Israelis react as Palestinian militants hand over the hostages to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip while they watch a live broadcast at the plaza known as the ‘Hostages Square’ in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Late Friday, Hamas said it handed over Shiri Bibas’ body to the Red Cross, which confirmed it had received human remains inside Gaza and transferred them to Israeli authorities. Bibas’ family confirmed her identity early Saturday.

Hamas said it «has no interest in withholding any bodies in its possession.» The terror group said the dead hostages handed over on Thursday had been killed by an Israeli airstrike in November 2023 and that the bodies could have been misidentified due to bombardments in the area.

A poster shows Shiri Bibas, who was kidnapped to Gaza with her husband and two young sons on Oct. 7, 2023, in Jerusalem, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP)

The terror group also killed Ariel and Kfir Bibas «with their bare hands,» according to the Israeli military, which did not offer evidence to support the claim.

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Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari alleged that forensic analysis of the Bibas boys’ bodies showed that Hamas «did not shoot the boys,» but «killed them with their bare hands» and then «committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities.» Hagari said Lifshitz was killed by captors inside Gaza.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.