The war in Gaza has reached a pivotal moment. Hamas has finally disclosed the names of the next three Israeli hostages to be freed in the next cease-fire exchange. But the road to peace is not smooth and full of bumps.

    The hostages, Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben-Ami, are set to be released. These individuals were taken captive during the Hamas attack in October 2023.  The exchange is part of a broader agreement between Hamas and Israel that has been in place for nearly three weeks.

    The tension between the sides escalated as the names were announced later than expected, sparking concerns about delays in the process. The delay raised eyebrows over whether the agreement was still on track.

    By the end of Friday, Israeli officials confirmed they had received the list of hostages and notified their families. This announcement came after a series of disputes, with both sides accusing each other of breaching the cease-fire agreement. Israel complained about the delay in receiving the hostage names, while Hamas criticized Israel for not supplying enough aid.

    Israel did not openly address Hamas's accusations but indicated a commitment to upholding the cease-fire. The first phase of the deal, set to last 42 days, involves Hamas releasing at least 33 hostages in exchange for over 1, 500 Palestinian prisoners. In prior exchanges, about 18 hostages were freed in exchange for over 550 Palestinian prisoners.

    Meanwhile, Palestinian officials planned to publish the names of dozens of Palestinian prisoners marked for release by Israel. Some of these prisoners are serving life sentences for carrying out fatal attacks.

    The cease-fire deal is complex, with each side having a role to play.

Hostages To Be Freed

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