Eight more hostages—three Israelis and five Thai nationals—were released by Hamas in Gaza as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel. They were handed over to the Red Cross before being transferred to Israeli forces. In response, Israel freed 110 Palestinian prisoners, including 32 serving life sentences and 30 minors.

Axar.az reports that Israel briefly delayed their release due to concerns over how the hostages were treated during the handover.

Among those freed was Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20, who was led by armed Hamas fighters through a staged event in Jabalia before being transferred to the Red Cross. Her release, along with seven others, brought the total number of freed hostages to 15 since the ceasefire began on January 19, while 82 remain in captivity.

The handover in Khan Younis was chaotic, occurring in front of the ruins of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's home, with armed fighters leading the hostages through crowds of cheering spectators. Israel temporarily halted the release of Palestinian prisoners until assurances were given that future handovers would be safer.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "shocking scenes" of the hostage releases, calling them further proof of Hamas' brutality. The ceasefire remains fragile, with tensions persisting over hostage exchanges and the war’s toll, which has left Gaza devastated and resulted in nearly 47,460 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry.