Hamas free final hostage in latest exchange


Beirut, Feb 24: The Israeli military says the sixth and final hostage has been released by Hamas in the latest exchange on Satury and has arrived back in Israel.

The hostage was not immediately identified but is expected to be Hisham Al-Sayed, 36, a Bedouin Israeli with a history of mental health illness, who crossed on his own into Gaza in 2015 and had been held since.

Five of the hostages were released earlier Saturday in staged ceremonies that both Israel and the Red Cross have condemned in the past.

The last one was released separately on Saturday afternoon without a ceremony.

A total of 25 Israeli hostages were released in the first stage of the ceasefire.