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Hamas names next Israeli hostages set to be released

Published

11 months ago

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Clockwise from top left: Karina Ariev, Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa and Liri Albag (BBC)

Hamas has named four hostages to be released on Saturday under the Gaza ceasefire deal.

It says they are soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag. They will be freed in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

It will be the second such exchange since the ceasefire came into effect last Sunday.

Three hostages and 90 prisoners were released in the first swap.

The ceasefire halted the war which began when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken back to Gaza as hostages.

More than 47,200 Palestinians, the majority civilians, have been killed in Israel’s offensive, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says.

It was originally thought that a female Israeli civilian, Arbel Yehud, would be included in the list of those to be released on Saturday.

It is unclear why her name is not on the list, though Israeli media reported that Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a separate group, is holding her.

Hamas is expected to provide information about the remaining 26 hostages due to be released over the next five weeks.

This includes the Bibas family – two parents and two children, one of whom, Kfir, was 10 months old when taken captive and is the youngest hostage. It is unclear if this information will include the names or just the number of living or dead hostages.

The prisoners who will be released are of a more serious category than those freed in the first exchange. They will include those who have killed, some of whom are serving sentences of more than 15 years.

Israel has insisted that no-one who was involved in the 7 October attacks will be freed.

Ariev, Gilboa, Levy and Albag were seized at the Nahal Oz military base which was overrun by Hamas gunmen. Footage showed them among a group of women being tied up with their hands behind their backs. They were seen pleading for help while being taunted by their captors.

The women were part of a unit which surveilled the Israel-Gaza border.

Three weeks ago Hamas released a video of Albag, 19, calling for the Israeli government to reach a deal.

The ceasefire was concluded after months of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, led by the US, Qatar and Egypt.

It will be implemented in three stages, with the second stage due to begin six weeks into the truce. About 1,900 Palestinian prisoners will be released during the first stage in exchange for 33 hostages. Israeli forces will also begin withdrawing from positions in Gaza and hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians will be able to return to areas they had fled or been forced from.

The ceasefire is meant to lead to a permanent end to the war in Gaza.

Ninety-one hostages taken on 7 October 2023 are still held in Gaza. Fifty-seven of them are assumed by Israel to still be alive. Three others – two of whom are alive – have been held for a decade or more.

Three female Israeli hostages have already been released as part of the latest ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Romi Gonen, 24, was captured as she tried to escape the Nova music festival when it was targeted by the militant group as part of the 7 October 2023 attack.

She has been freed alongside Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a veterinary nurse, and Emily Damari, 28, who holds dual British-Israeli nationality.

All three arrived back in Israel on Sunday after being released by Hamas in Gaza, and were reunited with their families.

(BBC)


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Cabinet green light to obtain a grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund for post – disaster relief and rehabilitation activities

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12 mins ago

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2025/12/11

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On a request made by the government of Sri Lanka,  the Asian Development Bank has given its concurrence to provide a grant of United States dollars 3 million under Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund.

It is expected to supply materials required for providing essential life security services for the communities affected,  from the said grant.

Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to enter into the relevant agreements with the Asian Development Bank to obtain the said grant.

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Cabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region

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24 mins ago

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2025/12/11

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Adhering to the broad plan of the Government to reach the objective of accomplishing 70% of the country’s electricity supply from renewable energy sources by the year 2030, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted on 10.02.2025 to invite requests for resolutions from interested developers of the private sector in order to implement the Mullikulum Wind Power – 100 Mega Watts (two (02) wind power stations of
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Accordingly, requests for proposals have been called to implement the relevant project by adhering to the international competitive bidding methodology, and seven (7) prospective project proposals were submitted.

Evaluating the said proposals, based on the recommendations submitted by the negotiation committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Power to award the contracts of establishing the two (02) 50 Mega Watts Wind
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Cabinet approves the purchase of vehicles to improve the primary health care system across the island

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31 mins ago

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2025/12/11

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The Government of Sri Lanka has signed a financial agreement with the International Development Association of the World Bank Group to obtain US$ 150 million under the project for improvement of Primary Health Care System.

This project will be implemented covering all the districts in Sri Lanka during the period 2024 to 2028 with the objective of prevention and management of non- communicable diseases,
elderly and palliative care, including strengthening community level services and building resilience to climate related emergencies.

Insufficient transport facilities for the field officers (Public Health Midwives, public health inspectors, primary care nurses, and surveillance teams) has been identified as  decisive obstacles relevant to this project.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to procure the below mentioned vehicles necessary to improve the transport capacity for broadening house based care and community relationship coverage, improve the efficiency of field tests and supervisory work, ensure the transport of clinical waste materials safely and proper time.

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• 2,891 scooters for Public Health Midwives
• 200 scooters for Public Health Nurses
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