Hamas published six other hostages held in Gaza, in exchange for 602 Palestinian prisoners who will be released later on Saturday.
The published hostages included four abducted during October 7, 2023.
Two men released, Avera Menongista and Hisham al-Sayed, have been held in Gazi-G for years. Menongista since 2014, and Mr. Al-Sayed since 2015.
Six are final hostages that are still alive that will return as part of the first phase of the fire interruption agreement that will end next Saturday. Israel and Hamas have not yet agreed on the conditions of the second phase.
Later on Saturday, 602 Palestinian prisoners should be released, most of which were detained after the attack on October 7, 2023.
The BBC understands that those published will include 50 prisoners who serve life penalties and 60 with high penalties, according to a statement of Palestinian prisoners.
The bodies of four other hostages are expected to be transferred to Israel next week in what should be the last step in the first phase of the tribute.
Hamas still holds 59 hostages, which is believed to be about half alive. More will be released in the next stage of the three -stage interruption between Israel and Hamas, which should start on March 1.
Hamas began to release the hostages, which the Red Cross made it easier, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in January. The initial chaotic scenes become more choreographed, and hostages are colored by fighters on the stages before handover.
Mr. Shoham, 40, and Mr Mengista (39), were transferred to the Red Cross in Rafah in southern Gazi before being transferred to Israeli defense forces (IDF).
Mr. Shoham visited the family in Kibbutz Be’eri in October 2023. When he and others, including his wife and two children, abducted Hamas. His captured family members were released after 50 days.
In a statement, his family said, “This is an unforgettable moment, where all the emotions mix quickly. Our tal is with us.”
Mr. Mengista, who has been Ethiopian-Israel, has been holding Hamas since September 2014 when he moved to the northern Gaza.
He and Mr. Al-Sayed, Bedouin Arabic Israeli who entered Gaza in 2015, both suffered mental health problems in the past, according to their families.
After releasing freedom, Mr. Mengista’s family said they had endured “10 years and five months of unimaginable suffering.”
Separately, in Nuseiiraat in the central gauze, Mr. Shem Tov, 22, Mr. Cohen, 27, and Mr Wenkert, 23, were liberated in the second public exhibition of Hamas.
All three were trapped at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023.
Mr. Shem Tov initially escaped by car when Hamas Fighters went down to the festival, but was captured when he left to save his friends.
Mr. Cohen hid with his girlfriend Ziv Abud at a shelter at the festival, but was discovered and drove. The shelter was bombed, but Mrs. Abud survived and fled.
Mr Wenkert was able to send text messages to his family when the festival was attacked to tell them to go to a safe haven, but they lost contact with him.
Mr. Al-Sayed was published privately in the city of Gaza later on Saturday.
The crowds on Tel Aviva Square welcomed public editions with fans as they watched them go to the live feed.
Families celebrating the return of six men called to be released all the remaining melons.
“Our only request is to use this window of the possibility to ensure a job that will … bring all the hostage home back home,” said Mr Shoham’s family.
The remaining hostages include Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier trapped on October 7th.
His mother Yael Alexander, who watched Saturday’s hostage edition, told the BBC that it was “amazing” to see them liberated, but for her family it was “very difficult” to wait.
“There are more than dozens of young alive, like my son, is still waiting to be released,” she said. “This is the main goal, to let live people now out of Gaza.”
The joyful scenes on Saturday are contrary to this week, when the bodies of the Schiri Bibas hostage, her two young sons and another captured Odeed Lifschitz returned to Israel.
