Last Female Israeli Soldier Held Is Freed to Jeers

Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages on Thursday in the latest release since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. Israel was expected to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners, reports the AP. The release was delayed by a chaotic scene in which a crowd of Palestinians surrounded and jeered at hostages as they were turned over to the Red Cross. The first hostage, female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, was released in northern Gaza. Hours later, a chaotic scene unfolded as thousands of people pressed around a handover site in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, in front of the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Footage showed Arbel Yehoud, a 29-year-old hostage, looking stunned as she was led through the crowd by militants toward waiting Red Cross vehicles.

Hundreds of militants from Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group arrived with a convoy in a show of force, and thousands of people gathered to watch, some from the tilted rooftops of bombed-out buildings. Many in the crowd shouted and surrounded Yehoud as masked militants pushed people away and escorted her through. The Israeli military later said the hostages had been transferred by Red Cross to Israeli forces inside Gaza. The other Israeli released was Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old man. Five Thai nationals were freed, but had not been officially identified. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "shocking" scene and called on international mediators to prevent similar events in the future.

Hamas had earlier handed Berger, 20, to the Red Cross after parading her in front of a crowd in the heavily destroyed urban refugee camp of Jabaliya in northern Gaza. The Israeli government later released footage of Berger hugging and crying with her parents. Berger was among five young female soldiers abducted in the Oct. 7 attack; the other four were released Saturday. People cheered, clapped, and whistled at a square in Tel Aviv where supporters of the hostages watched Berger's handover on big screens next to a large clock that's counted the days the hostages have been in captivity. Some held signs saying: "Agam we're waiting for you at home."

(More Israel-Hamas war stories.)