Freed Israeli hostage kisses Hamas fighter on the forehead

As Palestinians group Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, one of them shockingly planted a kiss on the forehead of two of his captors, over a year and a half after he was taken hostage by them.

Israeli hostages Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen were freed as the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal nears its end. The trio were brought out to stage by Hamas gunmen and paraded as they waved to cameras while holding their release certificates.

In a clip that has now gone viral, Omer Shem Tov, was seen smiling and grabbing the back of a masked Hamas gunmen's head and swiftly planting a kiss on his forehead. He then did the same to another masked gunmen on the stage. Loud cheers erupted as the scene unfolded.

Omer Shem Tov's grandmother, Sara, told Israel's Channel 12 that the gesture did not seem out of character as her grandson was a jovial man. "That’s Omer. He gets on with everyone. Even Hamas… They love him even there."

His father Malki Shem Tov called his son "the most positive-minded in the world". "Omer is thinner… but is upbeat, upbeat, the most positive-minded in the world. We didn't even know what he would look like. He just came out and surprised us all, with the smile, the wave it's just crazy,” he told Channel 12.

All three hostages Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert spent 505 days in Hamas captivity, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

While many on social media speculated that the kiss was orchestrated by Hamas gunmen, others chose to see a silver lining in the exchange, hoping the gesture could symbolize lasting peace in the region after a deadly conflict. "Let’s hope this small act leads to a bigger wave of peace. Every step counts towards harmony," said one of them.