tal shoham and a avera mengistu handed over. both are taken to the stage, as we've seen with previous hostages. they were both shaky, both looking like they'd lost weight 505 days in captivity for tal shoham and more than 11 years for avera mengistu handed off to the red cross vehicles, beginning their path to freedom, handed off to the idf. we have heard from tal shoham family already saying absolutely every emotion overflowing at the moment. so grateful for everyone that has helped bring about this moment. but the weight is now on for those other four hostages. the focus on another location further north in gaza, in nusseirat. that's sort of two thirds of the way north, if you will, in inside of gaza. um, we've seen cheers coming up from the families of those two men, the two hostages i just mentioned. but the crowd here right now, waiting to see the physical condition of eliya cohen, as you say, 27 years old. he went to the nova music festival with his fiance, ziv. ziv took with them her nephew and his and her nephew's girlfr

we know that he and avera mengistu have been handed over to the idf.are with the special forces. they are getting those first sort of medical checks now. but tal shoham family are saying this, uh, this is an unforgettable moment where all emotions rapidly mixing together. our tel is with us. we thank all the people of israel who stood with us for the long days. during these days. we need during these days. meaning now we need privacy with tal. this is what we've heard and we've seen, of course, with other hostage families. but this idea of all emotions mixing up, this is what we've seen. we saw a very mengistu's family celebrating singing songs, uh, as they await, uh, being having him close and and getting him in their clutches again after 11 years. but i have to say, um, having looked at both men being taken out of the hamas vehicle, tal shoham first 505 days in captivity, a hostage, uh, he looked as if he'd lost weight. he looked a bit shaky on his feet. he was put on the stage first. he was forced to give a speech. a very mengistu, really shaky on h

tal shoham and avera mengistu both had lost weight. uh, but you don't know.h group of hostages seems to somehow be treated in a in a slightly different way. and that's what the crowd now is waiting to see. kim. >> yeah. that's right. all right, listen, nic, we'll come back to you if we see any movement there of the hostages being released. in the meantime, i want to bring in gershon baskin, former hostage negotiator and middle east director at the international communities organization. he joins us now from jerusalem. thank you so much for being here with us. so as we wait for this second group of israeli hostages to be released, uh, i imagine, you know, again, looking at these pictures, hamas presumably wants this to go smoothly after the debacle of returning the wrong body. uh, your take on what we've seen so far and what we're expecting. >> this is. >> the. >> last release of living. >> hostages in this first phase of the deal. and there will be another release next week of, um, bodies of other hostages. hopefully, they will take the precautions to make su

now back in israel where they'll be a little earlier two other israeli hostages, tal shoham and avera mengistuere also released. crowd has gathered to watch the releases in a location that's become known as �*hostages square�*. the gaza ceasefire deal. this is life in tel aviv. we have had _ this is life in tel aviv. we have had two _ this is life in tel aviv. we have had two events, - this is life in tel aviv. - have had two events, highly hamas, in two parts gaza, "ml—“i it�*s! “flu- '-. �*a u—b ——— ———— ,, gaza, where "ml—“i iti; “a"? i"; �** “er“ "* ,,;; ,, gaza, where these "ml—“i iii; “ii-ii? iii �*a “iii" ,,; ,,;; ii gaza, where these three of gaza, where these three hostages all in their 20s taken moira mam music iestizxai. at the nova music festival, were they were were released. they were dressed in what seemed to be of -reen of - reen camoufla -e of green camouflage type kind of green camouflage type i am quite sure clothes. i am not quite sure message that was meant to what messegethat; was meant. be but what messagethat; was meant. ta but it what messagethat was meant te but it was

first in rafah, two hostages — tal shoham and avera mengistu — were passed to the red cross in a ceremony driven away. this time in nuseirat. eliya cohen, omer shem tov and omer wenkert who were transferred into the hands of the israeli military. reuniting with their families. and the second was avera the final hostage to be released without a public ceremony in gaza city. by his family. it comes after israel said a body returned by hamas claimed — herfamily has since said a new body handed who's in hostages square in tel aviv. a very emotional day where you are, mark? a very emotional day where you are. mark? _ are, mark? indeed. there were re are, mark? indeed. there were pretty _ here - are, mark? indeed. there were pretty _ here on - m suare watchin sc uare watchin . that bgfhigdure r which i- that bgfhigdure r which showed screen behind me which showed the pictures of very show ze- stage s—hew—byrhamas that we seen on stage s—hew—hyrharhas that we seen on a basis have seen on a weekly basis with images from another world, a 77 beamed 7 a 77 beamed into here in a sense, beamed into he

let's you ”3:3 ee teke" 53" t�* "ee' let's you two first in rafah, tal shoham and avera mengistu — werese took place in nuseirat. these are pictures of two of the hostages, reuniting with theirfamilies. mengistu, who had been held in gaza since 2014. more ten years in hamas captivity. accompanied by his family. over by hamas on friday is hers. israelis celebrating as the ceasefire deal brings six more hostages home alive. in gaza, more choreographed displays of defiance and firepower as the hostages emerged for the first time. others held for a decade. tal shoham was one of seven family members, all kidnapped from the same house. the long, agonising wait finally overfor his brother and sister. and they were all to hope for a betterfuture. so you can imagine a situation in which you live side by side again? yes, i'm going to come back here. deal should be complete, but there are still plenty of hostages alive and dead being held in gaza. which have yet to begin. the campaign for tal is over. 0ne family's ordeal has ended. but as israelis celebrate and phase one comes towards an end, ceas

the two others to be freed have been held and avera mengistu.hey will be exchanged for more than 600 palestinian prisoners. simon jones, bbc news. with me is said shehata, from bbc arabic. wi it me is said shehata, wi it does. said shehata, wi it does look shehata, wi it does look like hata, wi it does look like it |ta, wi it does look like it |ti the from of c arabic. wi it does look like it |ti the from of c ari bibas that bodyof shiri bibas that hamas over. handed over. good news, because esterda handed over. good news, because yesterday when — handed over. good news, because yesterday when we _ handed over. good news, because yesterday when we talked - i’ow row about 5 row about it and the the row about it and the israeli anger about the body 7—, not belonging to shiri was not belonging to shiri bibas, i said was not belonging to shiri bibas, isaid it was not belonging to shiri bibas, i said it was a mistake. and the hamas said it and the hamas statement said it was also a mistake because there are bodies under the because of the israeli of

first in rafah, two hostages — tal shoham and avera mengistu — this time in nuseirat.ya cohen, omer shem tov and omer wenkert who are also now in the hands of the israeli military. the final hostage to be released today is hisham minutes he was handed over without a public ceremony in gaza city. earlier this week was not that of shiri bibas, as they had over by hamas on friday is hers. gathered to watch the releases in a location that's become known as hostages square. the gaza ceasefire deal. let's speak to sebastian usher injerusalem. isa is a lot to get through. first of let's talk m— what we are about to see which is the release of more than 600 who have been palestinians who have been detained by that “happening happenirigiizn; 7 ”is happening in the 7 happening in the next few is happening in the next few minutes, is it? we is happening in the next few minutes, is it?— minutes, is it? we are expecting _ minutes, is it? we are expecting l to - minutes, is it? we are expecting l to come, | minutes, is it? we are - expecting l to come, certainly 7, the next 7 the ne

first in rafah, two hostages, tal shoham and avera mengistu, eliya cohen, omer shem tov and omer wenkert were also handed over. these are pictures of two of the hostages, reuniting with theirfamilies. the first was omer wenkert, who was taken hostage the final hostage to be released today was hisham accompanied by his family. over by hamas on friday is hers. at the end of a week full of despair and uncertainty... ..an outpouring of relief and joy. israelis celebrating as the ceasefire deal brings six more hostages home alive. others held for a decade. from the same house. tal, the last to return. the long, agonising wait finally overfor his at kibbutz be'eri, close to gaza, the house where tal was taken. and they were all kidnapped from here? be'eri is a place full of scars and ghosts. hamas gunmen killed over 100 kibbutz members here, but in a place famously full of peaceniks, ayelet dares to hope for a betterfuture. the population of people who live in gaza should so you can imagine a situation in which you live i'm not going to go anywhere else. and not fighting about it. deal should

eliya cohen, omer shem tov, tal shoham, omer wenkert, hisham al sayed, and avera mengistu. a first released from rafah, the other four hostages from points in central gaza. all of them escorted by masked hamas gunman. in exchange israel releasing hundreds of palestinian prisoners as phase one of the cease-fire deal nears its end. negotiations for phase two expected to begin in the coming days. the fragile deal almost breaking down on thursday after hamas failed to release the body of shiri bibas handing over the body of a gazan woman instead. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu vowing revenge. hamas quickly releasing another body overnight. israeli forensics confirming the remains are shiri's the remains of the two bibas boys also released earlier this week. the idf saying forensics showed 4-year-old ariel and 8-month-old kfir were deliberately killed by hamas. hamas blames israeli air strikes, and earlier this week, four bombs planted in buses in central israel, no one was injured, but the attack coming in apparent response to the idf's ongoing operations in the west

plus, 39-year-old avera mengistu hailed after crossing into gaza 10 years ago. militants putting on a propaganda display before the handover to the red cross. next, three israelis in their 20's, eliya cohen, omer shem tov and omer wenkert grabbed from the music festival on that same terrible day and another terror photo opportunity. all looked thinner and showed some signs of illness in the past and 36-year-old hisham al-sayed having also been held captive for a decade after he, too, crossed into gaza. the freed hostages brought to the idf and israel all reuniting with close family members, all now at hospital here in tel aviv. set to be exchanged for these after a security assessment by israel, some 600 palestinian prisoners. across israel today, israelis celebrated amidst sadness, four will be released next week and then some 60 held my hamas and shiri bibas and two young sons has been handed over. an unknown woman had been brought back with the children. the bibas family saying today shiri was returned home. you're right, brian, the first phase of the cease-f

and avera mengistu held off crossing into gaza 10 years ago. militants putting on propaganda display before the handover to red cross. next, three israelis in their 20's, eliya cohen, omer shem tov, and omer wenkert. grabbed by hamas at the music festival on that same terrible day. in a terrorist photo opportunity at another gaza location, all looked thinner and showed some signs of illness endured. as well as 36-year-old hisham al-sayed released, having also been held captive for a decade after he, too, crossed into gaza. the freed hostages, mike, were brought to the idf and israel can choppered to a hospital in tel aviv reunited with close families, and one of the younger hostages said he fancied is burger. set for these after the security meeting tonight, 600 palestinian prisoners. across this day, people celebrated amid sadness four more deceased hostages are planned for the coming week and after that some 60 alive and dead will still be held by hamas. as the body of shiri bibas, the mother of two young sons, symbols of this hostage terror

tal shoham released one of the first to be released. 505 days of captivity, along with avera mengistu. he'd been held for 11 years. both of them look frail. both of them taken up on stage. and then the release of three more hostages that we just. witnessed. eliya cohen omer shem tov and omar. witkin. he also released. they're also taken up on stage. also looking way, way, way thinner than when they were taken into captivity. but what the what? the crowd here really loves and gets uplifted by is when the cameras on the big screen cut to the families who are celebrating. and we're seeing that today so much celebration. we've seen tears, we've seen singing, we've seen jumping for joy. all the gamut of emotions and some of those reunions for those first two releases already happening, and the others soon to be in the arms again of their loved ones. >> all right. nic robertson, reporting from hostages square there as the last living hostages handed over in phase one. thanks so much. so new this morning, the government purge continues. this time it's at the pentagon. officials announced fri

i'll just close by saying the fifth of the hostages released in public today is a man called avera mengistu. he is a israeli of ethiopian origin, and he crossed into gaza in 2014. so he has been there more than ten years. and similarly to hisham al-sayed, his family says that he suffers from mental health issues. christina. >> all right. thank you so much, aaron. we want to turn to you because this is supposed to be the final hostage exchange of this phase one deal as kind of written out in the agreement, but it's complicating things because, as ralph mentioned, these these hostage families have been going through so much, and they've really been petitioning the government to do whatever it takes to get the remaining hostages home. we also had a very fiery speech from israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu yesterday, railing against this kind of ghoulish display, this performative way. hamas handed over the bodies of that mother and her two children. i want to play you some of that sound. >> i mean, you know, on one hand, christine. >> today the heavens shake. the entire civilized world

a avera mengistu nearly 11 years a hostage.as as ever in force and in control of the propagandized handover. this day, the last of the planned and agreed living hostage releases. avira's friends bursting into song as they watch his release. tal's family greeting his freedom from 505 days in captivity with tears. and then the real deal. tal waving to the crowds, hugging his son. meanwhile, in a crowded hostages square in tel aviv, anticipation for the other releases growing. cheers rising as avera hugged his family. and then the big moment. eliya cohen, followed by omer shem tov and omer wenkert, all three of them noticeably thinner, paraded in hamas's last scheduled public planned live and over, away from the cameras, hisham al-sayed, hostage for a decade to ill for the stage, quietly handed over to. as their families began celebrations. each of the hostage releases bringing hope to those still waiting. uriel alexander, mother of edan, the last living american hostage, still held by hamas. >> we heard a lot of stories that edan

avera mengistu, nearly 11 years a hostage. hamas as ever in force and in control of the propagandized handover. this day, the last of the planned and agreed living hostage releases. avira's friends bursting into song as they watch his release. towle's family greeting his freedom from 505 days in captivity with tears. and then the real deal. tal waving to the crowds, hugging his son. meanwhile, in a crowded hostages square in tel aviv, anticipation for the other releases growing cheers rising as evora hugged his family. and then the big moment. eliya cohen, followed by omer shem tov and omer wenkert, all three of them noticeably thinner, paraded in hamas's last scheduled public planned live handover away from the cameras. hisham al-sayed, hostage for a decade, too ill for the stage, quietly handed over to. as their families began celebrations. each of the hostage releases bringing hope to those still waiting. yehiel alexander, mother of idan, the last living american hostage still held by hamas. >> we heard a lot of stories tha

israeli hostages shoham and avera mengistu were handed over to the red cross earlier this morning. those being handed back imminently are the last living hostages from a group of 33 due to be freed in the first stage of the ceasefire deal that took effect on january 19th. this comes as israel's army have reported that the body of hamas hostage shiri bibas, has been identified. they say it's likely she was killed in captivity while with her two young sons. the foreign secretary has called hamas's failure to return the right body of an israeli hostage sick and abhorrent. now, sir keir starmer is expected to confirm a timeline to raise defence spending as he prepares to travel to washington to meet donald trump next week. reports suggest he will invite his counterpart to the uk for a state visit. the prime minister will have to walk a tricky line stateside, balancing the uk's support for ukraine with the need to keep the us on side. this comes as president trump has accused emmanuel macron and sir keir starmer of doing nothing to end the war in ukraine. meanwhile, he also said volodym

israeli hostages tell shoham and avera mengistu were handed over to the red cross early this morning.n other news, a three year old girl has died after being hit following a tram crash in manchester. police are currently in attendance on mosley street following the collision between a metrolink tram and a white mercedes—benz van. greater manchester police said the girl was taken to hospital after the crash, but she died from her injuries. no arrests have been made and police are appealing for witnesses. and three people have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a man who went missing more than 20 years ago. robert scott khalife, known as scott, was last seen on the 10th of october in 2002 following a night out in north shields, north tyneside, where he'd moved to from scotland a few months earlier. a murder investigation was launched despite no body being found. northumbria police said it's now arrested two men in their 40s and 50, and a woman in her 40s on suspicion of murder. and those are the latest gb news headunes those are the latest gb news headlines for now. m

elia cohen, omar shem—tov, tal shoham, omar hencote, hisham al—saeed and avera mengistu are set to be tomorrow. it comes after hamas has said the remains of israeli hostage shiri appeared to be mixed with other human remains in what it claims was an israeli airstrike. it comes as israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said hamas will pay for failing to release sheree's body as agreed. the idf said it had instead received the remains of an anonymous body without identification, and accused hamas of violating the shaky ceasefire. two bodies were identified as her children, kefir and ariel, while the body, believed to be sherry's, did not match any hostage and remains unidentified. meanwhile, a bbc documentary about gaza has been pulled from the bbc iplayer. the corporation says they are conducting further due diligence following the broadcaster's admission that a child featured in the film was a son of a man who worked as hamas's deputy minister of agriculture. a statement from the bbc said there have been continuing questions raised about the programme and in the light of these, we

israeli hostages tell shoham and avera mengistu were handed over to the red cross early this morning.n other news, a three year old girl has died after being hit following a tram crash in manchester. police are currently in attendance on mosley street following the collision between a metrolink tram and a white mercedes—benz van. greater manchester police said the girl was taken to hospital after the crash, but she died from her injuries. no arrests have been made and police are appealing for witnesses. and three people have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a man who went missing more than 20 years ago. robert scott khalife, known as scott, was last seen on the 10th of october in 2002 following a night out in north shields, north tyneside, where he'd moved to from scotland a few months earlier. a murder investigation was launched despite no body being found. northumbria police said it's now arrested two men in their 40s and 50, and a woman in her 40s on suspicion of murder. and those are the latest gb news headunes those are the latest gb news headlines for now. m

israeli hostages tell shaham and avera mengistu were handed over to the red cross early this morning.s comes as israel's army have reported that the body of hamas's hostage has been identified. they say it's likely she was killed while in captivity with her two young sons. it follows outrage from the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, when she was not among the four bodies handed over earlier in the week. the foreign secretary has called hamas's failure to return the right body of that israeli hostage sick and abhorrent. a three year old girl has died after being hit following a tram crash in manchester. police are currently in attendance on mosley street following the collision between a metrolink tram and a white mercedes—benz van. greater manchester police said the girl was taken to hospital after that crash in the city centre, but she died from her injuries. no arrests have been made. elsewhere, german voters will head to the polls tomorrow to decide who they want tomorrow to decide who they want to lead the next government. it's expected that the conservative christian d

let's remind you of scene when remind you of the scene when two other hostages, tal shoham and avera mengistuay and are now in then driven away and are now in the hands of the israeli military. in exchange, more than 600 palestinian prisoners be. and detainees, according to the palestinian prisoners' media office. earlier this week was not that of shiri bibas, as they had over by hamas on friday is hers. this is live in tel aviv, where a large crowd has gathered to watch the releases in a location that's become known as hostages square. this is final part of the first phase of the gaza ceasefire deal. you have some of the being released the prisoners being released on the other l is �*the equation here gxchange �* the israeli hostages. yes, this has followed _ hostages. yes, this has followed the _ hostages. yes, this has followed the scenes - hostages. yes, this has followed the scenes we | hostages. yes, this has - followed the scenes we have been muonlftltring about followed the scenes we have her of noonlftltring about followed the scenes we have bei of those tring about followed the scen

president trump fires senior officials at the pentagon, first in rafah, two hostages — tal shoham and avera mengistu they were then handed over to the israeli military. then, just over an hour ago, there was another release eliya cohen, omer shem tov and omer wenkert, of the israeli military and intelligence services. the last of the six to be freed today, it comes after israel said a body returned by hamas earlier this week was not that of shiri bibas, as they had claimed. her family has since said a new body handed over this is live in tel aviv, where a large crowd has gathered to watch the releases in a location that's become this is final part of the first phase of let's speak to yossi mekelberg, senior associate fellow at chatham house. at chat very -iouse. at chat very much. at chat very much for being with us, a pretty stage—managed affair once again us, a pretty stage-managed affair once agair_ us, a pretty stage-managed affair once agai $7? on h affair once agai $7? on um affair once agai $7? on fighters on show, a big stage the handover, did you of j of it? 7 make of it? good afternoon, th

aaaarding ta iaraali mediaf” ’ two other hostages, earlier, two other hostages, tal shoham and avera mengistuen were driven away in red cross and are now in ofand are now in i: of the are now in i: éf'tii'e [shelia/t5 7 éf'tii'e isi'aeli;military. exchange for these 5 exchange for these hostages, in exchange for these hostages, more than 600 palestinian a”? , be more than 600 palestinian z”, ' be freed more than 600 palestinian f "f ' be freed from jails. ' ' jails. 602 ' ' and i and detainees. and detainees. israel prisenereend detainees. israel a prisenersand detainees. israel a body prisenersand detainees. !sraet a body returned earlier week was not 5 week was not that of week was not that of shiri as they bibas, as they claimed. it was again a very stage—managed and, you know, the paraphernalia hamas was on show, us a bit there on show, tell us a bit about the way they hand edge —— handle these hostage releases. of is not that of course, there is not that much of media in much of international media in there not been over gaza, there has not been over the last 15 months. you have gaza, th

of two of the hostages, reuniting with theirfamilies. on 7th october 2023 and the second was avera mengistuibas, as they had herfamily has since said a new body handed paul adams has the latest. at the end of a week full of despair and uncertainty... ..an outpouring of relief and joy. two others held for a decade. from the same house — tal the last to return. brother and sister. and they were all kidnapped from here. be'eri is a place full of scars and ghosts. hamas gunmen killed over 100 kibbutz members here, 32 were taken hostage. stay and live in gaza. so you can imagine a situation in which you live side by side again? yes, i'm going to come back here. and not fighting about it. next week, stage one of this whole complex ceasefire deal should be complete, but there are still plenty getting them out will require a whole new set of negotiations which have yet to begin. the campaign for tal is over. but as israelis celebrate and phase one comes towards an end, where this goes next, on towards a more durable ceasefire or back to war, remains as uncertain as ever. let's speak now to 0liver m

— the two others to be freed have been held for around a decade in gaza — hisham al—sayed and avera mengistul be exchanged for more than 600 palestinian prisoners. the second phase, which would see a full israeli withdrawal from gaza, is meant to start at the end of next week. but talks to get to that point haven't yet begun. simon jones, bbc news. our correspondent mark lowen is in tel—aviv and joins us live from hostages square. this time last week there was the of three hostages, this this time last week there was the when three hostages, this it this time last week there was the when should |ostages, this it this time last week there was the when should we ages, this it this time last week there was the when should we expect his it this time last week there was the when should we expect the it six, when should we expect the release to begin?— six, when should we expect the release to begin? six, when should we expect the release to beuin? u, ., ., , release to begin? good morning. yes, we are here — release to begin? good morning. yes, we are here i hostages _ release to begin? good morn