VFI News 33 Hostages to Be Released in First Phase of Ceasefire Deal; 30-50 Prisoners Released for Every Hostage

Israel's ceasefire with Hamas brings hope for hostages but raises tough questions: What price is Israel paying for peace? This week on VFI News, we unpack the 42-day ceasefire deal, hostage releases, and the redeployment of IDF forces.

Learn about the ongoing threats from Hezbollah, the Houthi missile attacks, and economic struggles gripping the nation. Explore the political turmoil, Iran's aggression, and Lebanon's leadership shake-up, as well as uplifting stories of resilience and faith in Israel.

Watch now to get the full picture.

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After months of intense negotiations, Israel is set to implement the first phase of a hostage release agreement on Sunday, January 19, 2025. This initial phase will see the release of 33 hostages over 42 days. The hostages include women, children, elderly individuals, and those with urgent medical needs. 

The initial phase begins with the release of three hostages on January 19. Each week, additional hostages will be freed, with a focus on women and children. The final group in this phase is expected to include long-term captives Avera Mengistu (37), an Israeli man with mental health issues, held since crossing into Gaza in 2014, and Hisham al-Sayed (35), an Israeli Bedouin with mental health challenges, held captive since 2015. 

The deal includes the controversial release of approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 200 described as having “blood on their hands.” Additional terms involve increased humanitarian aid to Gaza and a phased withdrawal of IDF troops from key positions. 

This is the first phase of the hostage deal. In the second phase, more hostages will be released and the IDF will withdraw further. In the third and final phase of the deal, the entirety of the hostages will be released and the IDF will withdraw fully after the hostages are received.

Among the hostages set for release in the first phase are:  Ariel Bibas (4) and Kfir Bibas (9 months when kidnapped), Liri Albag (19), Karina Aryev (20), Agam Berger (20), Daniela Gilboa (20), Naama Levy (20), Romi Gonen (24), Emily Demari (28), Arbel Yehud (29), Doron Steinbrecher (31), Ohad Yahalomi (50), Eli Sherabi (52), Ofer Calderon (53), Ohad Ben-Ami (55), Keith Siegel (65), Itzik Elgart (69), Gadi Moses (80), Oded Lifshitz (83) and Shlomo Mansour (86). (JPost / VFI News)

“Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for helping our leaders reach a deal that will ensure the release of all the hostages. We praise You and we are immensely grateful for You. We pray in Yeshua’s name that all living hostages will last until they are released and that You will strengthen and comfort them throughout this period. We also pray that the terrorists to be released will repent and not cause any further upheaval or tragedy in our country.”

British media on Wednesday, January 15, published parts of the hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. According to the report, Hamas will first release the living hostages and then the bodies of the murdered hostages. 

Israel will release 30 terrorists for every civilian hostage and 50 for every female Israeli soldier. In addition, Israel will release all Palestinian Arab women and children under the age of 19 who have been detained since October 7th before the end of the first phase.  

The total number of released terrorists depends on the number of hostages who will be released and can reach between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian Arab detainees, including men, women, and children. The report also states that Qatar, Egypt, and the US will supervise the agreement's implementation.  

As part of the first phase, 600 trucks of humanitarian aid will enter the Gaza Strip each day; 50 of them will be carrying fuel. 300 of the trucks will go to the northern Gaza Strip. 

Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem on Thursday against the ceasefire deal. The protest was led by the Tikva Forum, an organization of families of hostages held in Gaza, and by the Gvura Forum of bereaved families.  

Tzvika Mor, chairman of the Tikva Forum, whose son Eitan was kidnapped by Hamas, said, “If the hostages are not released in the right way, then other citizens pay the price, just as I paid the price for the Shalit deal. The hostages must be released in such a way that only the enemy pays the price.” (INN / VFI News)

The Houthi rebel group claimed that the ceasefire deal announced on Wednesday, January 15, constitutes a victory for the Hamas terrorist organization over Israel and vowed to continue to attack the Jewish State if the ceasefire breaks down, British media reported.  

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised address that “The Israeli enemy failed to achieve its declared and clear goals, and failed miserably to recover its prisoners without an exchange deal.” 

“We will continue to monitor developments in Palestine during the three days prior to the entry into force of the Gaza agreement. If the Israeli massacres continue, we will continue our operations,” he said. 

“At any stage in which the aggression retreats from the agreement, we will be ready to provide military support to our Palestinian brothers.” (INN / VFI News) 

“Dear Lord, we pray that You protect us from all the enemies that surround us and intend to continue attacking us. We pray in Yeshua’s name that You either cause them to repent or lead them to destruction so they can no longer harm us. We thank You for Your immense Love, care, and protection so far and we hope that You will continue to give our people strength to fight all that is evil.”

US President-elect Donald Trump said on Wednesday, January 15, that he would use the momentum of the freshly agreed upon Gaza ceasefire deal to expand the Abraham Accords, the US-backed agreements struck during his first term that normalized Israel’s relations with several Arab countries.  

Trump, who repeatedly threatened Hamas to release the hostages ahead of his January 20 inauguration, said he was “thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home.” 

“With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.  

“We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords,” he added, referring to the agreements that normalized Israel’s ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also endorsed the deal stating: “As the President of the State of Israel, I say in the clearest terms: This is the right move. This is an important move. This is a necessary move. There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us—whether to recover at home or to be laid to rest.” (TOI / VFI News)

“And Hannah prayed and said: ‘My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and those who stumbled are girded with strength.” - 1 Samuel 2:1-4

TextExperience the timeless beauty of "Dror Yikra," one of the most cherished Shabbat songs across Jewish communities for generations. In this captivating arrangement, Barry and Batya Segal bring their unique style to a spiritual masterpiece, celebrating the Sabbath as a day of rest, freedom, and renewal. "Dror Yikra" was written by Dunash ben Labrat, a 10th-century poet and linguist who studied under rabbi Sa'adia Ga'on. It is regarded as the first song written specifically for Shabbat, highlighting themes of spiritual redemption and the sacred bond between the people of Israel and the Sabbath. The song reached new audiences through the historic performance by Shlomo Bar and the Natural Choice (Habreira Hativ’eet) more than 30 years ago. This adaptation featured a traditional Yemenite melody, bringing "Dror Yikra" into the cultural mainstream and reaffirming its place as a beloved part of Jewish heritage. "Dror Yikra" reflects the Sabbath as a time for spiritual renewal and liberation—a foretaste of the world to come. Just as the Sabbath and the people of Israel protect one another, this sacred day offers freedom from routine and a connection to divine purpose.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, January 15, that Israel must withdraw its forces from Syria or it will cause “unfavorable outcomes for everyone.”  

“The aggressive actions of the forces attacking Syrian territory, Israel, in particular, must come to an end as soon as possible,” he said during a meeting of his party in Ankara.  

“Everyone should take their hands off Syria and we, along with our Syrian brothers, will crush the heads of Islamic State, the YPG, and other terrorist organizations in a short time.” 

Israel in response warned Ankara against “unnecessary threats.” “Israel completely rejects the Turkish president’s statement,” the Foreign Ministry said. 

“The aggressive imperialist actor in Syria (as well as in northern Cyprus, Libya, and other areas in the Middle East) is Turkey itself, and it is advisable for the Turkish president to avoid unnecessary threats. The State of Israel will continue to act to protect its borders from any threat.” (TOI/VFI News)  

“Do not say, ‘a conspiracy,’ concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.” - Isaiah 8:12-13

An Anti-Defamation League (ADL) survey released on Tuesday, January 14, reveals that 46% of adults worldwide now hold significant anti-Semitic beliefs, signaling what the organization calls a “global emergency.” 

According to Israeli media, the ADL’s global survey asked 58,000 respondents in 103 countries if they agreed with 11 anti-Semitic tropes, such as: “Jews’ loyalty is only to Israel” and “Jews have too much power in the business world.” 

The survey found that 46% of adults worldwide endorsed a majority of these statements, representing approximately 2.2 billion people. Anti-Semitism was most prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa, with roughly three-quarters of respondents holding significant anti-Semitic views, and Judea and Samaria and Gaza topping the list at 97%. 

In contrast, Western Europe had lower levels at 17%, and the United States reported that 9% of respondents held significant anti-Semitic beliefs.  

ADL chief Jonathan Greenblatt described the findings as a “global emergency,” noting a 108% increase in anti-Semitic views since a similar survey in 2014. He expressed concern over the rise among younger generations, with half of respondents under the age of 35 harboring anti-Semitic sentiments, 13 percentage points higher than adults over the age of 50. (DW/VFI News)

“Dear God, we pray that anti-semitism be eradicated from the world and that truth, knowledge, wisdom, and non-biased opinions be given to those who hold antisemitic beliefs around the world. We pray in Yeshua’s name that You soften their hearts and cause them to repent and seek the truth earnestly. We pray they would also realize that Jewish people are not their enemies but their fellow human beings who they should love, cherish, and help whenever they can.”

More than one-third of Israeli households spend thousands of shekels more than their monthly incomes allow and cannot make ends meet, as they struggle with a series of tax and price hikes during the ongoing war, while interest rates remain high.  

An estimated 2.5 million Israeli households are overdrawn in their bank accounts, or about 39% of the population in Israel over the age of 18 as of April 2024, according to data by Fresh Start, an Israeli non-profit organization that assists highly indebted households and businesses.  

The latest Bank of Israel data released this week showed that Israeli banks charged households with accounts in overdrafts a steep 12.7% interest on average in November 2024, up from an average of 11% at the end of 2023. 

That compares with an average of 9% interest households were paying on consumer credit loans. Overdrafts of Israeli citizens reached NIS 9.75 billion ($2.7 billion) as of the end of November, according to the data. Meanwhile, the average interest Israeli banks pay on shekel deposits ranges between 3.5% to 4% on average. 

The wide gap leads to the public paying very high interest rates on their debt, and it is deepening the personal finance troubles of households. As a result, thousands of families in Israel spend more than they earn, and fall into an economic trap of high interest rates and an inability to pay off the debt. (TOI/VFI News)

“Dear Lord, we pray in Yeshua’s name that You take care of the physical needs of Your people and help them pay off all the debts they have. Please, cause us to first seek Your Kingdom, for You have assured us that when we do, all these things will be added onto us. You have proven Your faithfulness time and time again and we trust, love, and honor You. May You keep our people from being despaired over their financial situations but be of good cheer while seeking Your Son, Your Kingdom, and the New Jerusalem.”

Researchers believe an ancient multi-room structure uncovered near Jerusalem’s Old City was likely used for ritual and worship nearly 3,000 years ago, the Israel Antiquities Authority said on Tuesday, January 14, marking the first such find of a religious site practically down the street from the biblical First Temple while it still stood.  

The 220-square-meter (2,370-square-foot) structure, dating from the 8th century BC, “features eight rock-hewn rooms containing an altar, a standing stone, an oil press, and a winepress,” the IAA said in a statement about the well-preserved site, which was seemingly boarded up during an ancient crackdown on worship outside the Temple Mount. Standing stones are upright stones placed in the ground associated with religious ceremonies. 

Researchers believe the site to be the only known ritual structure dating from the period of the First Temple in Jerusalem, and one of “very few found in the land of Israel,” according to the IAA.  

The findings from the structure were published this week in an article, “Evidence of Worship in the Rock-Cut Rooms on the Eastern Slope of the City of David, Jerusalem,” authored by Shukron, along with Liora Freud, Helena Roth, and Reli Avisar from Tel Aviv University and Efrat Bocher from the Ancient Jerusalem Research Center.  

In the paper, the authors suggest that the building was used by residents of Judah for cultic or religious practices but then was walled off and abandoned during a religious reform in the 8th century BCE.  “The structure ceased to function… possibly as part of King Hezekiah’s religious reform,” Shukron said. (TOI /VFI News) 

“Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke the sacred pillars in pieces, cut down the wooden images, and threw down the high places and the altars—from all Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh—until they had utterly destroyed them all.” – 2 Chronicles 31:1

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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