Hamas released three more Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of an ongoing ceasefire deal, marking the fifth exchange since the truce between Israel and Hamas took effect last month. The latest hostages freed include Eli Sharabi, 52, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, who were taken from Kibbutz Beeri, and Or Levy, 34, who was abducted during the October 7, 2023, attack at the Nova music festival.
In return, Israel is set to release 183 Palestinian prisoners later today as part of a broader exchange program. Under the initial six-week ceasefire agreement, Hamas is to gradually free 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. So far, 13 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals have been freed, while Israel has released around 600 mostly Palestinian prisoners.
The latest release coincides with renewed controversy surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to assume control of the Gaza Strip. Trump has suggested that after the war, Gaza should be placed under U.S. ownership, with its more than 2 million Palestinian residents relocated to “safer and more beautiful communities.” He presented the idea earlier this week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and later elaborated on his Truth Social platform.
Trump’s proposal has drawn widespread international criticism, with U.S. allies and adversaries alike reaffirming their commitment to a two-state solution. On Friday, large protests erupted in Amman, Jordan, where demonstrators denounced the plan, chanting pro-Palestinian slogans. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the military to devise a plan for Palestinians to voluntarily leave Gaza for other countries.
While Netanyahu has expressed interest in Trump’s proposal, calling it “the first original idea to be raised in years,” the plan has deepened global divisions. In Washington, Netanyahu met with House Speaker Mike Johnson, where he praised Trump’s recent executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court (ICC). The order, issued Thursday, condemned the ICC’s arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, labeling the court “scandalous and corrupt.”
The ICC, established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, responded by condemning Trump’s executive order. Judge Tomoko Akane, president of the court, called the move an “escalatory attack” meant to undermine international justice.
As tensions persist, the Israeli military has bolstered its presence in Gaza, deploying three divisions from its Southern Command to secure border areas. It remains uncertain how the ceasefire will hold amid ongoing political and military developments.
