Jerusalem, January 31 (UITV) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed three Israeli citizens who were recently released from Hamas captivity to Israel. The names of these three citizens are Agam Berger, Arbel Yehud and Gadi Musa. All of them were released on Thursday. In his statement, Netanyahu expressed his happiness over this release and said that this release was possible first of all due to the brave soldiers of Israel and at the same time it is the result of the firm stand that Israel adopted during the talks. He said, “Agam, Arbel and Gadi are welcome. Along with the whole of Israel, we (Netanyahu and his wife) welcome you wholeheartedly.” Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his displeasure over the manner of release. Questioning the method adopted by Hamas, he said, “We will not accept the violation of the agreement.” Netanyahu also said, “Today during the release of our hostages, we saw shocking scenes. We have made it clear to the mediators that we will not take any kind of risk with our hostages.” He warned, “If anyone tries to harm our hostages, he will have to pay a heavy price for it.”
The names of these three Israeli citizens released from Gaza on Thursday were released by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The PMO also confirmed that along with this release, five Thai citizens were also freed. The names of these Thai citizens are Sathiyan Suwanakham, Pongsak Thanna, Bannawat Sathao, Watchara Srion and Surasak Lamnao. These five citizens were also taken captive in Gaza at some point and were released on Thursday.
According to Hamas, Israeli authorities also released 110 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday under the ceasefire and hostage agreement. Of these, 32 prisoners were sentenced to life imprisonment. Additionally, 30 children were also freed as part of this release, some of whom were convicted in criminal cases. Also, 48 others were considered high-security prisoners.
During this release, eight hostages taken in Gaza in attacks carried out by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October 2023 were also released. These incidents took place amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in which a large number of civilians of both sides lost their lives.
This release has taken place under the ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, which is an attempt to reduce tensions between the two sides. The Israeli Prime Minister said on this occasion that his government gives top priority to the safety of the hostages and any kind of agreement will ensure that the hostages are not put in danger under any circumstances.
After this release, the Israeli government also made it clear that they will remain fully vigilant and committed to prevent such incidents in the future, giving priority to their security and the safety of citizens. Also, this release can set the direction for further talks and agreements between Israel and Hamas, which can be a step towards a peaceful solution between the two countries.