Israel has confirmed that three of its citizens and five Thai nationals will be released in Gaza this Thursday. The names of the Israeli hostages—29-year-old Arbel Yehud, 19-year-old Agam Berger, and 80-year-old Gadi Moses—were shared by the Prime Minister’s office. The identities of the Thai citizens, however, haven’t been disclosed yet.

This release is part of the broader ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which includes freeing hostages taken during the October 7 attacks. So far, 33 Israeli hostages were set to be freed in Phase One, with two rounds of releases already completed. Tragically, eight of the remaining hostages were reported dead earlier this week.

In exchange, Israel has agreed to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement. The ceasefire has brought some much-needed relief to Gaza after over 15 months of intense conflict following the October 7 attacks.

Stay tuned as this story continues to develop.