Two Israeli hostages freed by Hamas after nearly ten years in Gaza

Two Israeli hostages, Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, were freed by Hamas after being held in Gaza for nearly a decade. They had entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and both had histories of mental illness. Their families expressed relief after years of uncertainty and suffering. Mengistu's family highlighted their long efforts to secure his return, while Sayed's father questioned why his son was held despite being a peaceful individual. Hamas had previously released videos of the hostages to pressure Israel for a prisoner swap. In addition to the hostages, Hamas also held the bodies of two Israeli soldiers from the 2014 Gaza war.