Hamas-led militants yesterday released three male Israeli hostages, and Israeli forces began releasing hundreds of prisoners in return, in the latest indication that a fragile ceasefire that has paused fighting in the Gaza Strip but had teetered over the past few days is holding.
Militants in the southern Gaza Strip paraded the three hostages — Iair Horn, 46, a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina; American-Israeli Sagui Dekel Chen, 36; and Russian-Israeli Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29 — before a crowd before releasing them.
All had been abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community that was hard-hit in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. They appeared pale and worn, but seemed in better physical condition than the three men released on Saturday last week, who had emerged emaciated from 16 months of captivity.
Photo: AFP
The truce that began nearly four weeks ago had been jeopardized over the past few days by a tense dispute that threatened to renew the fighting.
US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to remove more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza and settle them elsewhere in the region has cast even more doubt on the future of the ceasefire.
However, Hamas on Thursday said it would move ahead with the release of more hostages after talks with Egyptian and Qatari officials.
Photo: Reuters
The group said the mediators had pledged to “remove all hurdles” to ensure Israel would allow more tents, medical supplies and other essentials into Gaza.
As with previous exchanges, the hostage release was heavily choreographed, with the captives made to walk onto a stage and speak into microphones before the crowd. Dozens of masked, armed Hamas fighters lined up near the stage festooned with Palestinian flags and banners of militant factions.
In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, a huge cheer went up as the hostages were transferred to the Red Cross.
“Iair, Sagui and Sasha are on their way home,” an announcer said.
In return for the hostages’ release, Israel began releasing 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 36 serving life sentences over deadly attacks. A bus carrying the first released prisoners arrived in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia and were greeted by a cheering crowd of relatives and supporters.
Some appeared gaunt, and the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said four were immediately taken for medical treatment.
It is the sixth swap since the ceasefire took effect on Jan. 19. Before yesterday, 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners were freed during the first phase of the truce.
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