Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami are to be the next set of hostages released by Hamas on Saturday, the prime minister’s office confirmed Friday.
The three have been held captive by the terrorist organization for 491 days. Both Ben Ami and Sharabi are residents of Kibbutz Be’eri.
Levy, now 34, was attending the Nova Music Festival on October 7 with his 32-year-old wife, Eynav, leaving their two-year-old son Almog with his grandparents. Hamas killed Eynav and abducted Or to Gaza. He is a resident of Rishon Lezion and worked as a programmer at a startup company.
Sharabi’s wife Leanne and their two daughters Noya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were also murdered on October 7. His brother, Yossi Sharabi, was murdered in captivity with his body still held in Gaza. Leanne came from England as a volunteer to work at Kibbutz Be’eri where their family lived.
Ben Ami was abducted alongside his wife Raz, although she was freed during the hostage deal in November 2023. His family was among many of the hostages’ families who protested tirelessly for his release.
In his free time, Ohad spent his time cycling, though his friends whom he cycled with stopped riding together after he was kidnapped, and waited for his return to ride together again.
His daughter, Ella, posted an Instagram story responding to her father’s release, saying “Nothing could’ve prepared my lungs for this moment.”
ההתרגשות במשפחתו של אוהד בן עמי pic.twitter.com/dpXljAvYxs
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) February 7, 2025
Two of the hostages are residents of Kibbutz Be’eri
Kibbutz Be’eri issued an official statement on the release of Ben Ami and Sharabi, saying that they’re “thrilled for their release after 491 days of uncertainty, of pain and anger.
“We have not stopped praying, protesting and waiting for this moment – the moment when we will finally be able to see Eli and Ohad safe. Alongside the joy of seeing them return to us, there is immense pain and agonizing for those who are still held hostage.
“This will not go back to normal until all the hostages return safely to their families, and until all the murdered can be returned for their burial.”
So far, 13 Israeli hostages of the 33 children, women and older men set to be released in the first, 42-day phase of the agreement have come home, and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have been released in exchange. Five Thai hostages have also been returned.
The Health Ministry stated that the hostages released on Saturday will arrive at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and the Sheba Medical Center after they undergo an initial medical assessment.
Work on the second stage of the multi-phase agreement, aimed at securing the release of around 60 male hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, has begun and an Israeli negotiating team was expected to fly on Saturday to Doha, Israeli media reported on Friday.
The hostages that have been released in the deal’s first phase as of Friday are Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher, Naama Levy, Daniela Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, Agam Berger, Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Moses, Ofer Kalderon, Yarden Bibas, and Keith Siegel. The Thai hostages also released are Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Lamnao Surasak.
Reuters contributed to this report.
