Middle East live updates: Hostage Agam Berger handed over to the Red Cross

The names of the three hostages set to be released Thursday have been identified, according to the Hostage Center. American Keith Seigal is not on the list for Thursday’s release.

“The Families’ Headquarters for the Return of the Abductees welcomes the good news of the expected release of Arbel Yehud, Agam Berger and Gadi Mozes after 482 days in Hamas captivity. An entire people is fighting for them and eagerly awaits their long-awaited return to the arms of their families,” a spokesperson for the Families’ Headquarters for the Return of the Abductees said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We have the sacred duty and moral right to return all our brothers and sisters home. We will not give up and will not stop at any stage until all the abductees return home within the framework of the current agreement, until the last abductee — the living for rehabilitation and the dead for a proper burial in their country,” the spokesperson said.

“The families of the abductees were informed by IDF liaison officers of the names of the abductees who will be released tomorrow, in the third wave of the plan. According to the agreement, the next wave, in which 3 additional abductees (men who are alive) are to be released, will take place on Saturday. The families will be informed of the names of those being released on Friday,” said the directorate of abductees, returnees and missing persons in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.