Hostages Avera Mengistu and Tal Shoham to be released from Rafah

This marks the first time in the deal that hostages will be released in the southern Gazan city. Other releases are expected to take place in Nuseirat.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF FEBRUARY 22, 2025 07:58

A Hamas propaganda stage in Rafah ahead of the hostage release, February 22, 2025. (photo credit: Screenshot/Telegram, SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT)

Hostages Avera Mengistu and Tal Shoham will be released in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Al-Arabiya reported on Saturday.

This marks the first time in the deal that hostages will be released in the southern Gazan city.

The release of the other hostages will also take place from another location in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the center of the Strip. The other hostages set to be released on Saturday are Eliya Cohen, Hisham al-Sayed, Omer Wenkert, and Omer Shem Tov.

Like in previous hostage releases, the Hamas terrorist organization set up a propaganda ceremony by setting up a stage in Rafah decorated with provoking images and captions. Saturday morning's caption reads: "The land distinguishes its people from the dual nationality figures."

Hamas terrorists were filmed standing in a line in the pouring rain, armed with long rifles, according to Ynet.

Part of a Hamas propaganda stage in Nuseirat ahead of the hostage release, February 22, 2025. (credit: Screenshot/Telegram, SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT)

Previous hostage releases

The last hostage release event, where they delivered the bodies of Oded Lifshitz and the bodies of the Bibas children, Kfir and Ariel, depicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a vampire.