Ohad Ben Ami, Or Levy, Eli Sharabi are the three male Israeli hostages to be released in latest round of exchanges under ceasefire deal.
Hamas has released the names of three Israeli men it said it would released this Saturday, in what will be the fifth round of exchanges under the ongoing ceasefire deal.
Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi, and Or Levy are expected to be released on the 491st day of their captivity, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed.
Scores of Palestinian prisoners are due to be released in return.
Ben Ami, 56, was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri. His wife Raz Ben Ami was also taken captive and was freed during a ceasefire in November, 2023.
Sharabi, age 52, was also taken from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri. His wife and daughters were murdered on October 7, according to the kibbutz. His brother Yossi Sharabi, who was taken captive, died in Gaza, where his body remains, according to the Israeli military.
Or Levy, age 34, was attending the Nova music festival on October 7 when he was kidnapped. His wife Eynav was murdered in the attack.
Since the ceasefire went into effect on January 19, Hamas and its allies have released 18 hostages held in Gaza – including five Thai citizens released outside the parameters of the agreement. In exchange, the Israeli government has released 583 Palestinians held in detention – some serving life sentences for serious offenses – but also a significant number of children held without public charge or trial.
Friday’s announcement came nearly three hours after it was expected, after Hamas on Friday accused the Israeli government of “continued procrastination and hesitation in implementing the humanitarian protocol of the agreement.”
In a statement, group said that “the pledges stipulated in the agreement have not been implemented in the specified manner, which exacerbates the suffering” of Palestinians in Gaza.
The United Nations says that “challenges continue in bringing into Gaza some critical humanitarian supplies,” though noted that prices have declined and the distribution of humanitarian supplies within Gaza has become easier, following the withdrawal of the Israeli military from urban areas.
Hamas said Friday that it expects Israel on Saturday to release 183 Palestinians held in prison in exchange for the three Israelis.
Eighteen of the prisoners are serving life sentences, 54 have lesser sentences, and 111 were detained in the Gaza Strip after October 7, 2023, the group said in a statement. The charges against the 111 were not clear.
Israel is yet to confirm the numbers and names of Palestinian prisoners who are expected to be released on Saturday.
In a televised address on Saturday night, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced that American forces, in coordination with Israel, had conducted precision strikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, aiming to dismantle Tehran’s enrichment capabilities.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched another wave of drone attacks on Israel overnight, in what it calls the 19th round of strikes targeting strategic sites across the country.
Israeli fighter jets have destroyed three Iranian F-14s in the latest wave of airstrikes targeting central Iran, according to the IDF.
Israel announced on Saturday that it had killed senior Iranian commander Saeed Izadi, head of the Palestine Corps of Iran’s Quds Force, in a targeted strike in Qom. Izadi was accused of supporting Hamas before its October 2023 attack on Israel.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says Iran’s nuclear bomb development has been delayed by "at least two to three years" due to the ongoing conflict, while expressing doubt about diplomacy as European leaders push for renewed talks with Tehran in Geneva.
Global investors are bracing for significant market turmoil when trading reopens, with analysts predicting a sharp spike in oil prices and a flight to safe-haven assets following the United States' announcement of military strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran’s top diplomat on Sunday issued a stark condemnation of the United States following overnight military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, declaring that Washington had crossed a "very big red line" and would be held "fully responsible" for the consequences.
A chorus of condemnation emerged from Latin America on Sunday as leaders from Chile, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, and Bolivia denounced the United States for its recent airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
The United States' military strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities Sunday triggered sharply divided reactions from the international community, with Israel lauding the move as a historic decision while Iran, the United Nations, and numerous other nations condemned the attack.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 22nd, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
Iran’s top diplomat on Sunday issued a stark condemnation of the United States following overnight military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, declaring that Washington had crossed a "very big red line" and would be held "fully responsible" for the consequences.
The United States' military strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities Sunday triggered sharply divided reactions from the international community, with Israel lauding the move as a historic decision while Iran, the United Nations, and numerous other nations condemned the attack.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), called on regional leaders Saturday to prioritize economic unity, policy coordination, and stronger investment to unlock West Africa’s full potential.
Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov and China Eximbank Chairman Chen Huaiyu signed a $500 million loan agreement for the telecom sector on June 21.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov discussed bilateral partnership and regional security on the sidelines of the OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Istanbul.
Global investors are bracing for significant market turmoil when trading reopens, with analysts predicting a sharp spike in oil prices and a flight to safe-haven assets following the United States' announcement of military strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran’s top diplomat on Sunday issued a stark condemnation of the United States following overnight military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, declaring that Washington had crossed a "very big red line" and would be held "fully responsible" for the consequences.
A chorus of condemnation emerged from Latin America on Sunday as leaders from Chile, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, and Bolivia denounced the United States for its recent airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
The United States' military strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities Sunday triggered sharply divided reactions from the international community, with Israel lauding the move as a historic decision while Iran, the United Nations, and numerous other nations condemned the attack.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 22nd, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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