Israelis and supporters rally in support of the hostages outside the United Nations, Oct. 24, 2023. (Luke Tress)

(JTA) — Hamas has announced that it will release three more male hostages on Saturday, including two men in their 50s and one in his 30s who is thought to be injured.

The three hostages, all of whom are presumed to be alive, are Eli Sharabi, 51; Ohad Ben-Ami, 56; and Or Levy, 34. Their release will be the fifth to take place since the initial phase of the current Israel-Hamas ceasefire began on Jan. 19. It is the second release in which all of the freed captives will be men.

Sharabi was abducted from his home on Kibbutz Beeri on Oct. 7, 2023. His wife and teen daughters were killed in the Hamas attack that ravaged the border community. His brother Yossi Sharabi was also taken hostage and was killed in captivity.

Ben-Ami, also a resident of Beeri, is a German citizen. He was abducted from his home with his wife, who was released during a ceasefire in November 2023.

Levy was taken captive during the massacre at the Nova music festival. He was among 20 festival-goers to huddle in a shelter and was one of only four to emerge alive.

The first phase of the ceasefire is due to last 42 days in total, until early March. It will see a total of 33 hostages freed — eight of whom have been confirmed to be dead. In exchange, Israel is releasing a much larger number of Palestinian security prisoners. The latter stages of the deal, which are currently under negotiation, would see the remaining hostages go free.

According to the terms of the ceasefire’s first phase, Hamas agreed to release women first, both civilians and soldiers, followed by older men and those thought to be ill and injured. Of the 33 hostages on the list to be freed, the only woman and children remaining are Shiri Bibas and her young sons Ariel and Kfir, who have become faces of the hostage crisis. Hamas said in November 2023 that they had been killed in an Israeli strike. Israel has not confirmed that allegation but an official recently expressed “grave concerns” for their fate.

Their husband and father, Yarden Bibas, was held separately and released last week.

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