BERLIN: Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday welcomed the release of two German-Israeli hostages captured by Palestinian militants in the October 7, 2023 attack and urged the release of all remaining captives.
Earlier, militants in Gaza freed five Thai and three Israeli hostages, among them two German-Israeli dual nationals, 80-year-old Gadi Moses and 29-year-old Arbel Yehud.
鈥淲e are relieved and rejoice with all the hostages who have been released,鈥� Scholz said in a post on the social media platform X.

鈥淎ll of the hostages must be released and all mortal remains of the deceased returned to the families.鈥�
Thursday鈥檚 exchange is the third to take place under the current Gaza ceasefire.
Israel is to release 110 prisoners, including 30 minors, in exchange for the three Israelis, said the Palestinian Prisoners鈥� Club, an advocacy group.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also hailed the 鈥渂lessing鈥� of the release of Moses and Yehud, who she said had been 鈥渢ormented by Hamas until the end.鈥�
鈥淭heir strength moves me deeply,鈥� she wrote in an X post in German and Hebrew, but added that 鈥渂oth have lost close relatives through cruel Hamas terror鈥� and that their 鈥渨orlds... are no longer the same.鈥�
She said a second phase for the ceasefire was essential.
During the current first phase of the deal, the terms of the second phase are to be negotiated, with the aim of freeing the last hostages in Gaza and bringing the war to a definitive end.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had written to Moses鈥檚 and Yehud鈥檚 families to share his 鈥渄eep joy鈥� at the news of their release.
鈥淲e can scarcely imagine what Arbel Yehud and Gabi Moses have been through,鈥� Steinmeier said.