Overview

• The three hostages to be released are Or Levy (33), Eli Sharabi (51), and Ohad Ben Ami (55), captured during the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
• This exchange is part of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement that began on January 19, following 15 months of conflict in Gaza.
• The ceasefire has already facilitated the release of 18 Israeli hostages and around 600 Palestinian prisoners, with plans to release 33 hostages in total during this phase.
• Negotiations for a second phase of the agreement, aimed at releasing all remaining hostages and ending the war, are underway in Qatar with U.S. and Egyptian mediation.
• Donald Trump's controversial proposal to transfer Gaza's control to the U.S. and relocate its population has been met with widespread international criticism, including warnings from the UN about potential ethnic cleansing.