The Hamas terrorist group has agreed to double to six the number of hostages scheduled to be freed on Saturday as part of the ceasefire with Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced on Tuesday.
Below is a list of those set to be released:
• Eliya Cohen, 27, is a resident of Tzur Hadassah near Jerusalem and has three younger sisters. Known for his zest for life, love of travel, and fondness for people, he worked in marketing and real estate after a career as an event producer. On Oct. 7, 2023, He attended the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im in southern Israel with his fiancée Ziv Abud, her nephew Amit and Amit’s girlfriend, Karin. During the attack, while fleeing to a shelter, Amit and Karin were murdered. Ziv survived by hiding under their bodies, while Eliya was taken captive.
• Tal Shoham, 40, is a resident of Ma’ale Tzvia who previously lived in Kibbutz Be’eri, where he managed a team at the printing house. Known for his dedication to peace, family and community, he volunteers with Magen David Adom (MDA), trains dogs and develops economic forecasting software. On Oct. 7, he was kidnapped alongside his wife, Adi, their children Nave (8) and Yahel (3), his mother-in-law Dr. Shoshan Haran, Adi’s aunt Sharon Avigdori and her daughter, Noam (12). Three other family members were murdered. The women and children were released during the November 2023 ceasefire after 50 days in captivity.
• Omer Shem Tov, 22, is a resident of Herzliya who dreams of becoming an actor. Known for his talent in mimicry and humor, he is also passionate about music and has his own DJ equipment. Friends and family describe him as funny, popular and always working to make others happy. On Oct. 7, he was kidnapped from the Nova festival along with siblings Itay and Maya Regev, who have since been released.
• Omer Wenkert, 23, is a resident of Gedera and manages a well-known chef’s restaurant. He is known for his charismatic personality, love of dancing and passion for sports. Friends describe him as joyful with a contagious energy, and he was about to begin a restaurant management course. On Oct. 7, Omer attended the Nova music festival, where he was taken captive.
• Hisham al-Sayed, 36, is an Israeli Bedouin from Hura. In early April 2015, he independently crossed the border into Gaza and was kidnapped by Hamas. In June 2022, Hamas released a video showing him lying in bed wearing an oxygen mask, conscious and alert. He is the son of Shaaban and Manal and has one brother.
• Avera Mengistu, 39, was born in Ethiopia and immigrated to Israel at the age of 5. He enjoys traveling, going to the beach and sharing family meals, particularly traditional Ethiopian cuisine. He shares an extremely close bond with his parents. In September 2014, Avera crossed the border into Gaza through Zikim. For nine years, his family had no indication of his condition until Hamas released a video of him in January 2023.
