Three Israeli hostages were released on Saturday by Hamas – a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union – as part of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Israel is expected to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners later in the day.
Hamas militants paraded the hostages in front of a crowd in southern Gaza before handing them over to the Red Cross as part of the fragile agreement.
The Israeli military confirmed the release of three hostages: Lair Horn, 46, with dual Israeli and Argentine citizenship; Sagui Dekel Chen, 36, with dual Israeli and American citizenship; and Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29, with dual Israeli and Russian citizenship.
They will receive medical treatment before being reunited with their families, said the Israeli military.
The hostages were abducted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people. The three released men appeared pale and exhausted, but still in better physical condition than the three men released the previous Saturday.
The ceasefire, which began nearly a month ago, has been on the brink of collapse in recent days due to a disagreement between Hamas and Israel, with the latter threatening to resume fighting in Gaza.
However, Hamas stated on Thursday that it would continue releasing more hostages after talks with officials from Egypt and Qatar. It said that the mediators had promised to “remove all obstacles” so that Israel would allow more tents, medical supplies, and other essential aid into Gaza, according to REL.
This will be the sixth exchange between Hamas and Israel since the ceasefire took effect on January 19. So far, 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners have been released during the first phase of the agreement.
The Prisoners’ Information Office, linked to Hamas, said on Friday that 369 Palestinians are expected to be released from Israeli prisons on Saturday. It added that 36 of them were serving life sentences.
Of the 251 people kidnapped, 73 are still being held in Gaza, but it is believed that around half of them are dead. Almost all remaining hostages are men, including Israeli soldiers.
