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Israel releases five Lebanese and Syrian detainees to Lebanon
Israel has released five Lebanese citizens who were detained in southern Lebanon, marking a significant development in ongoing indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. The group, which includes three Lebanese nationals and two Syrians, was handed over to the Lebanese Army via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the Naqoura border crossing.
Malek Kamal Ghazi, a 20-year-old who went missing in October 2025, was the first to be released. Other released individuals include Hussein Ayash, Mohammed Juheir, Assad Mahmoud Mohammed Al-Haiska, Ali Hassan Shour, and Wissam Ibrahim Al-Smadi. Israeli authorities stated that interrogations confirmed the detainees were civilians with no affiliations to terrorist organizations or armed groups.
The release is described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office as a “goodwill gesture” linked to efforts to locate and repatriate the remains of Lebanese Jewish community leaders who were abducted and murdered in the mid-1980s.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed gratitude for the mediation efforts led by the United States and the ICRC. He emphasized that this step is part of a broader process to restore full Lebanese sovereignty and continue negotiations regarding all remaining detainees and missing persons.
Entities
Benjamin Netanyahu · Hezbollah · International Committee of the Red Cross · Israel · Joseph Aoun · Lebanese Army · Lebanon · Malek Ghazi · Nawaf Salam
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 7 SOURCES] Israel has pledged to release a total of five Lebanese prisoners. allisraelnews.com · barbadosgazette.com · krmg.com · time.news · 961today.com · +1 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam thanked the United States for its efforts regarding the prisoner release. krmg.com · barbadosgazette.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel are expected to continue in Rome later this month. www.europesays.com · vinnews.com · 961today.com · jamaicainquirer.com · www.independent.co.uk
- [● 7 SOURCES] Israel agreed to release Lebanese civilians after Beirut helped search for the bodies of Lebanese Jewish leaders abducted and murdered in the 1980s. allisraelnews.com · barbadosgazette.com · krmg.com · time.news · www.jns.org
- [● 9 SOURCES] The handover of Malek Ghazi occurred at the Naqoura border crossing. allisraelnews.com · barbadosgazette.com · vinnews.com · krmg.com · time.news · +2 more
- [● 13 SOURCES] Malek Ghazi was the first prisoner released and was handed over to the Lebanese army via the International Committee of the Red Cross. allisraelnews.com · barbadosgazette.com · vinnews.com · krmg.com · time.news · +6 more
- [● 12 SOURCES] Interrogations confirmed the five detainees were civilians not involved in terrorism or membership in a terrorist organization. allisraelnews.com · barbadosgazette.com · krmg.com · time.news · dailynewslb.com · +5 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The release of the five prisoners is viewed as a goodwill gesture that could revive stalled negotiations. www.europesays.com · 961today.com · time.news
- [● 9 SOURCES] The release was facilitated by US mediation during negotiations in Rome. dailynewslb.com · www.alsadaranews.com · www.europesays.com · israelnoticias.com · 961today.com · +4 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Lebanese President Joseph Aoun thanked the United States and the ICRC for their roles in the release. news50.sa · www.q8news.com · www.maltanewsagency.com · jamaicainquirer.com · ch23.com
- [● 10 SOURCES] The release is linked to efforts to locate the remains of Lebanese Jewish community members kidnapped or killed in the mid-1980s. dailynewslb.com · alfajertv.com · www.alsadaranews.com · sarabic.ae · pnn.ps · +5 more
- [● 12 SOURCES] The ICRC acted as a neutral mediator to facilitate the transfer of five Lebanese detainees from Israel to the Lebanese Army. dailynewslb.com · news50.sa · www.q8news.com · alfajertv.com · www.alsadaranews.com · +7 more