This evening (Wednesday), Israel received the list of hostages expected to be released tomorrow as part of the agreement with Hamas. According to the Hostage Affairs Directorate, the families were personally and thoroughly informed before the list was made public.
The list of hostages received today from Hamas via mediators from Qatar and Egypt includes Arbel Yehud (29), Agam Berger (19), and Gadi Moses (80). Five Thai nationals are also expected to be released.
The release marks another phase in the ongoing hostage release process, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and the continuation of the humanitarian ceasefire. According to the terms of the deal, the next phase is scheduled for Saturday, expected to include the release of three additional living male hostages. Their names will be given to their families on Friday.
Closely Ensuring Hamas Adheres to Its Commitments
In recent days and hours, reports have emerged of tensions between the sides regarding the exact timeline and identity of those to be released, as Hamas has proved to be conniving and unreliable. Israeli officials emphasized that the state maintains full transparency with the hostage families, ensuring they are updated prior to any information released to the media.
Both the security establishment and the political leadership are closely monitoring the process to ensure that Hamas fully complies with its commitments. The government is expected to issue an official address following the families’ notification and the release of the full list.
Arbel, Agam, and Gadi Expected to Be Released from Captivity in Gaza
Gadi Moses, 80, was the first to be kidnapped from the Katz-Moses-Asher family and is the last remaining family member still in captivity. During Hamas’s terror attack on October 7, he was abducted to Gaza while his partner, Efrat Katz, was murdered. Her daughter, Doron, and granddaughters Aviv and Raz, were released in the first phase of the deal, along with Moses’s former partner, Margalit Moses. In a video previously released by Islamic Jihad, chilling footage showed Moses alongside Elad Katzir, who was later killed, .
Arbel Yehud, 29, was kidnapped along with her partner Ariel Cuneo from their home in the community of Nir Oz. On the morning of October 7th, Hamas terrorists broke into their home and forcibly abducted them from their reinforced safe room. During the abduction, their dog Marf, whom they had adopted just days earlier, was shot and killed by the terrorists. Tragically, Arbel’s brother Dolev was murdered that same day.
Agam Berger, 19, a lookout soldier at the Nahal Oz base, was kidnapped on the very first day of her military service. She had originally been assigned to serve in Kerem Shalom, but her posting was changed to Nahal Oz, where the Hamas attack devastated the base. Her mother said, “Agam was supposed to be in Kerem Shalom. At the last moment, they changed her assignment to Nahal Oz.”
As previously reported, in addition to these three Israeli hostages, five Thai nationals kidnapped by Hamas during the horrific October 7th attack are also expected to be released tomorrow.
Hostage Families Headquarters: “An Entire Nation Awaits Their Return”
The Hostage Families Headquarters welcomed the news of the expected release: “An entire nation has fought for them and is eagerly awaiting their long-overdue return to their families’ arms. We have a sacred duty and moral obligation to bring all our brothers and sisters home. We will not stop and we will not rest at any stage until every hostage returns—whether through the current agreement or any future negotiations—until the last hostage is home: the living for rehabilitation, and the fallen for a proper burial in their homeland.”
A Long-Awaited Homecoming
For well over a year, hostage families have endured unbearable uncertainty, clinging to hope as each day passed. Now, as Israel prepares to welcome Arbel, Agam, and Gadi home, the nation holds its breath, filled with both relief and sorrow. The wounds of October 7th remain deep, and the struggle is far from over.
