Nive Updates

Eight hostages released from Gaza amid chaotic scenes as 110 Palestinian prisoners to be freed

By James Legge, Irene Nasser, Kara Fox, Rob Picheta and Ivana Kottasová, CNN

Updated 7:15 AM EST, Thu January 30, 2025   

e What we're covering

• Eight hostages – three Israeli and five Thai nationals – were released from captivity in Gaza on Thursday.

• Israeli soldier Agam Berger was the first to be released by Hamas. Arbel Yehoud and Gadi Mozes were later released by Palestinian Islamic Jihad in southern Gaza, along with five Thai nationals, whose names have not been made public.

• Israeli authorities are also expected to release 110 Palestinian prisoners today. Of those, 32 were sentenced to life imprisonment, and another 30 are children, according to Hamas.

• In phase one - the current phase - of the ceasefire and hostage release deal, a total of 33 Israeli hostages taken captive by Hamas and other armed groups in the October 7 attacks are supposed to be freed. Israel is expected to release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in turn.

• Two rounds of releases have already taken place. Eight of the remaining Israeli hostages set to be released are dead, according to the Israeli government.   uer Text

N 35 min agoIsrael tells mediators that scenes in Khan Younis were "not acceptable"

 From CNN's Eugenia Yosef and Tim Lister         euer Text

N       After watching hectic scenes surrounding the release of two Israeli hostages and five Thai citizens in southern Gaza, the Israeli government has passed a message to the mediators of the hostage deal that the images from Khan Younis were “not acceptable,” an Israeli official told CNN.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement: “I view with great severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is yet another proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terror organization.”

“I demand that the mediators ensure that such horrific scenes do not recur and guarantee the safety of our hostages.”

Four Red Cross vehicles were at the venue for more than an hour as crowds converged on the scene. The hostages were transferred in batches to the Red Cross vehicles by masked militants with rifles - before the Red Cross convoy left the area soon after 1 p.m. local time (6 a.m. ET).

The confusion was in marked contrast to previous releases last Saturday, which were carried out amid tighter security, with crowds kept behind a cordon, and to the release earlier Thursday of an Israeli soldier, Agam Berger, in another part of Gaza.   



N 1 hr 2 min ago110 Palestinian prisoners expected to be released Thursday

       Israel is expected to release 110 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday as part of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.

Under that deal, Israel agreed to release:

- 30 prisoners for each freed hostage who is a child, civilian woman or civilian man over the age of 50

- 50 prisoners for each female soldier

- 110 prisoners for each injured or sick hostage

The Hamas Prisoner Media Office said it expected the 110 released on Thursday to include 30 children, 32 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment and 48 prisoners with high sentences.   euer Text

 hr 31 min agoIsraeli hostage Arbel Yehoud flanked by militants as she is brought to Red Cross vehicle

 From CNN's Rob Picheta

N       Arbel Yehoud was surrounded by militants and a boisterous crowd as she was walked from a van to a Red Cross vehicle at the Khan Younis hostage handover point.

Scores of spectators clamored to catch a glimpse of the Israeli hostage amid the chaotic scene.

Yehoud has now been placed in the Red Cross vehicle, which has started to slowly move away from the scene.  

N1 hr 11 min agoSee freed Israeli hostage Agam Berger reunited with her parents

 From CNN's Eugenia Yosef and Ivana Kottasová         euer Text

N       The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have released photos showing freed hostage Agam Berger being reunited with her parents in Israel at a reception facility in southern Israel set up by the IDF.

As with the other released hostages, Berger was first met by IDF staff before being driven a short distance to the reception point.

The Israeli military says that after they were reunited, Berger and her parents left the reception point in an Israeli Air Force helicopter.

She was taken to a hospital where she will receive medical treatment and will also be reunited with the rest of her family and her friends, as well as the other soldiers who were released from captivity last weekend.   



N1 hr 22 min agoFirst hostage released in Khan Younis is Arbel Yehoud

 From CNN's Tareq Al-Hilou in Khan Younis         euer Text

N       The first hostage to be released by Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Khan Younis was Israeli Arbel Yehoud.

Her handover was witnessed by CNN moments ago; she was walked from a van to a Red Cross vehicle, and put inside the vehicle.

Six more hostages are understood to be inside the van, with their release expected to be imminent.   

euer Text

N 3 hr 16 min ago"Thank God we have reached this moment:" Family of released Israeli hostage Agam Berger celebrates her returneuer Text

N       Family and friends of Agam Berger gathered on Thursday morning to watch and celebrate her release by Hamas in Gaza.

Berger’s family released a statement saying: “Thank God we have reached this moment, and our hero Agam has returned to us after 482 days in enemy hands.

“We want to thank the security forces and all the people of Israel for their support and prayers.”

euer Text

N       “Now Agam and our family can begin the healing process, but the recovery will not be complete until all the hostages return home.”

Berger’s family had campaigned for her release since she was taken hostage on October 7. Last May Berger’s family, along with the families of other hostages taken at the same military base near the Israeli border with Gaza, took the decision to release graphic footage of her abduction.