Name: 8 Israeli Hostages Freed Amid Chaotic Scenes as Cease-Fire Holds
Uploaded: 2025-01-31T05:44:51.000Z
Description: Hamas has handed over eight hostages—three Israelis and five Thai nationals—amid chaotic scenes on Thursday, in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners who are due to be released later.

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

China’s Broken Promises Loom Over New Trade Deals

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Californians React as Trump Calls for Gas Tax Suspension

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Federal Agencies Announce ‘Summer Surge’ of Law Enforcement into DC Ahead of 250th Anniversary

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Trump Administration Reports Zero Border Releases

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

US to Host 1st Ever World Cup Final Halftime Show, Featuring Shakira, Madonna

Savannah Pointer is a politics reporter for The Epoch Times. She can be reached at savannah.pointer@epochtimes.us

Savannah Hulsey Pointer

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Health News

Texas Children's Hospital to Open First-Ever Detransition Clinic Under Deal With DOJ

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Citizens Honor Police for Their Service and Sacrifice

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Trump ‘Projecting American Influence and Leadership’ on Iran Issue in Beijing: China Expert

Chris Bob is a reporter for NTD and a host of "Profiles of Service." He is also a small business owner. Chris graduated from Union College with a concentration in politics and religion in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Chris Bob

Senate Panel Advances Crypto Regulation Bill

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Lawmakers Weigh ‘Sanctuary’ Polices After Woman’s Death in Virginia

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Hamas has handed over eight hostages—three Israelis and five Thai nationals—amid chaotic scenes on Thursday, in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners who are due to be released later.

The first of the hostages to be released was Agam Berger, 20, who had been abducted from the Nahal Oz military base close to the border with Gaza by Hamas terrorist during the Oct. 7 attacks, in which over 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 taken hostage.

On Thursday morning, the Israeli Defense Forces issued a statement on Telegram in which they said the other seven hostages—another female soldier, Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old man, and five Thai nationals—had been handed over to the IDF and officers from the Shin Bet intelligence agency.

The Israeli prime minister’s office gave the names of the Thai nationals as Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat and Rumnao Surasak.

All eight captives had been held in the Gaza Strip since October, and were released as part of the third exchange since the cease-fire was brokered.

But Israeli officials have filed a complaint to international mediators over the scenes as Yehoud and Moses were released.

Hamas gunmen led Yehoud through a jeering crowd, hours after Berger was released.
<h2>Netanyahu Criticizes ‘Terrible Scenes’</h2>
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “I view with utmost severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is additional proof of the inconceivable brutality of the Hamas terrorist organization.”

“I demand that the mediators make certain that such terrible scenes do not recur, and guarantee the safety of our hostages. Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price,” he added.

Israeli journalist Emily Schrader <a href="https://x.com/emilykschrader/status/1884921318438494553">wrote on X</a>, “It is absolutely appalling that the Red Cross and any of the other mediators would allow hostages to have to go through something like this, walking through a mob of thousands of terror supporters, chanting for their death, trying to lynch them, after they were held for 482 days in captivity.”

Israel said Yehoud was supposed to have been freed Saturday, and it delayed the opening of crossings to northern Gaza after Hamas failed to produce her.

Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, which brokered the cease-fire, resolved the dispute by agreeing that Yehoud would be released five days later.

The IDF said the seven hostages were, “on their return to Israeli territory, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment.”

Earlier the IDF said of Berger, “The returning hostage is currently on her way to an initial reception point in southern Israel, where she will be reunited with her parents.”
<h2>IDF ‘Salute’ Returning Hostage</h2>
The statement went on, “The commanders and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces salute and embrace the returning hostage as she makes her way home to the state of Israel.”

Four other <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/hamas-releases-4-female-hostages-as-part-of-israel-cease-fire-deal-5798729">female soldiers</a>—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, all aged 19 or 20—were freed Saturday.

The three-phase cease-fire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Jan. 19 and has held, with fighting in Gaza paused for six weeks while hostages are released in exchange for convicted Palestinian prisoners.

The five Thai nationals were among a number of workers from that country who were seized by Hamas on Oct. 7 or 8.

When more than 100 hostages were released during a week-long ceasefire in November 2023, they included 23 Thai nationals.

In recent years thousands of workers from Thailand have come to work on Israeli farms.

But in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks, around 10,000 Thai workers returned home after the government of Thailand paid for their airline tickets.
<h2>Former Jenin Commander Released</h2>
The 110 Palestinian prisoners being released on Thursday include Zakaria Zubeidi, a high-profile former commander of Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed group in the West Bank city of Jenin.

Zubeidi, who once received Israeli amnesty, was rearrested by Israel again in 2019 after his alleged involvement in further shootings. He then broke out of prison in 2021, before being recaptured three days later.

The other prisoners include 30 serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis.

On Saturday another three hostages, all men, are due to be released by Hamas, along with another batch of Palestinian prisoners.

In the first phase of the cease-fire, Hamas is set to release 33 hostages, including women, children, older adults and sick or wounded men, in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas has told Israel eight of the 33 hostages are dead.

During the first phase, the government, led by Netanyahu, is due to negotiate the details of the second phase with Hamas.

It is hoped it would involve the release of the remaining hostages and a permanent cease-fire.

But Hamas says it will not release the remaining hostages until the IDF completely withdraws from the Gaza Strip, and fighting could resume in early March, if an agreement is not reached.

Some of Netanyahu’s coalition partners, including Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have called for the war to resume after the cease-fire’s first phase.

The Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza says 46,000 people died in the fighting and the Israeli military has said it killed an estimated 17,000 Hamas fighters.

Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have returned to their home neighborhoods to find them transformed into mounds of rubble.

President <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-calls-for-jordan-egypt-to-take-more-palestinian-refugees-clean-out-gaza-5799016">Donald Trump</a> said on Jan. 25 he wanted Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab nations to accept more Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip, with the goal of moving out enough of the war-torn area’s population to “just clean [it] out” and create a virtual clean slate of the territory.

<em>The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.</em>

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/8-israeli-hostages-freed-amid-chaotic-scenes-as-cease-fire-holds-5801249">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Videos

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Management

Chris Summers is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of national stories, with a particular interest in crime, policing and the law. 

Chris Summers

02_Second Lead

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.