The Palestinian resistance handed over the two Israeli detainees, Afra Mengistu and Tal Shoham, to the International Red Cross in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Saturday, November 25, 2023.

The process of releasing six Israeli detainees from Rafah and Nuseirat camp began on Saturday as part of the seventh batch of exchanges under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement that has been in effect since January 19, 2023.

The two Israeli soldiers, Mengistu and Shoham, were transferred to vehicles belonging to the International Red Cross after they were brought to a platform set up in Al-Mashroua Square, east of Rafah city.

Several formations from the Al-Qassam Brigades, including the Shadow Unit responsible for detainees, participated in the handover ceremonies in Rafah and Nuseirat.

On Friday evening, Abu Obaida, the military spokesperson for Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that the detainees to be released are Eliya Cohen, Omer Shif Tov, Omer Finkert, Tal Shoham, Afra Mengistu, and Hisham Al-Sayed. Israel stated that the families of the detainees included in the new exchange process had been notified.

In return, 602 Palestinian detainees are expected to be released today from Israeli occupation prisons, including 50 detainees serving life sentences, 60 with high sentences, and 47 of those previously released in the Wafa Al-Ahrar deal who were rearrested by the occupation.