After more than 15 months of fighting, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal, raising hopes for families that their loved ones could soon return home. In the first phase of the deal, Hamas is expected to free 33 hostages over six weeks starting with three on Sunday.
Israel says it will release 1,900 Palestinians from Israeli prisons as part of this stage. There are men, women and children on the list of 33 to be released from Gaza, ranging in age from 1 to 86 years old. Two are U.S. citizens and some of the others have European citizenship.
A Hamas official, speaking to NPR on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, confirmed the identities of the 33 hostages. In the following list, their ages and other background are based on information shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing the relatives of captives.
Among the hostages, there are individuals such as Liri Albag, 19, and Karina Ariev, 20, both taken during a Hamas-led attack on Israeli military bases. They represent a diverse group, raising hopes for families affected by the prolonged conflict.
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