On Saturday, under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas released six Israeli hostages. Among these six, three are Israeli men who were taken hostage from the Nova Music Festival by militants. On the release stage, Omer Shem Tov kissed the forehead of a Hamas fighter and blew a kiss to the audience. He claimed upon returning home that he was pressured by the captors to do so.
According to a report by Daily Express, Omer Shem Tov claimed after returning home that he kissed them under pressure from the hostage-takers, having been instructed to do so. Shem Tov's father said they were coerced to gesture and kiss the masked guard standing next to them.
'Told by the captors what to do'
According to the Times of Israel, he told KAN TV that he was informed of what actions to take. In the footage, you can see someone approach him, instructing what to do. He was freed after being held by Hamas for over 500 days.
Shem's release comes a year after the coordinated terrorist attacks led by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which led to the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of around 250 who were held captive in Gaza. Shem, along with two others, was taken hostage during the Nova Music Festival in Israel's Negev Desert.
Israel Released 602 Palestinian Prisoners
In exchange for these hostages, Israel released 602 Palestinian prisoners. Earlier, on Thursday, Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the Red Cross. This marked the first instance of Hamas returning bodies during the ceasefire. Israel has clarified it will not officially confirm their identification until DNA tests are complete. These included a woman, Shiri Bibas, and her two young children who were abducted by Hamas in October 2023.
