As Israeli forces continue their operations in Nablus, Hebron, and Jenin in the occupied West Bank, violating the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades—the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement—announced the names of six Israeli captives scheduled for release on Saturday. The exchange will involve the release of 602 Palestinian prisoners.

Details of the Exchange

According to the official Al-Qassam channel on Telegram, the six Israeli captives to be released are:

• Eliya Cohen
• Omer Shem-Tov
• Omer Wenkert
• Tal Shoham
• Avera Mengistu
• Hisham al-Sayed

Al Jazeera reports that two of them were detained in 2014, another two were captured during the 2014 Gaza war, and the remaining two entered Gaza under unclear circumstances.

Palestinian Prisoner Release

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Office (ASRA) confirmed that Israel is set to release 602 Palestinian prisoners, including:

• 50 serving life sentences
• 60 with long-term sentences
• 47 who were previously released as part of the Gilad Shalit exchange (Wafa al-Ahrar, 2011)
• 445 prisoners from Gaza, detained since October 2023

Stalled Negotiations and Political Tensions

Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of delaying the second phase of ceasefire negotiations, which were mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The ceasefire agreement was signed on January 15 and took effect four days later.

This exchange and the ongoing negotiations occur against the backdrop of escalating violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, where over 48,200 Palestinians were killed and thousands injured or missing during the recent conflict.

The situation remains tense as the Israeli Cabinet prepares to visit Cairo to discuss the next phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

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