Hamas releases five Israeli hostages as ceasefire holds, families celebrate

Hamas has released five of six Israeli hostages as part of a fragile ceasefire. The hostages included Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu, and three men in their 20s, who were abducted during the October 7 attack. They were handed over to the Red Cross. The release follows the confirmation of the body of Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother who was also kidnapped. Her family confirmed her identity after Hamas initially misidentified her body. The ceasefire has paused fighting, but the situation remains unstable. In exchange for the hostages, around 600 Palestinian prisoners will be released by Israel. This includes individuals serving life sentences and those detained since the war began. Hamas plans to release more bodies next week, but retains about 60 hostages.