Hamas has released another three Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners following a week in which the fragile ceasefire deal appeared under threat.
American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, Argentinian-Israeli Yair Horn, 46, and Russian-Israeli Alexander Troufanov, 29, were freed in return for 369 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
So far 19 hostages and more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners have been freed in the first phase of ceasefire deal which began on January 19.
The swap came days after Hamas said it would pause the release of hostages, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the deal – an allegation denied by Israel.
Israel, backed by US President Donald Trump, said “intense” fighting would resume unless the hostages were handed over. Hamas later said it remained committed to the ceasefire, and that Israel was “responsible for any complications or delays”.
But on Saturday the sixth swap went ahead, with the hostages handed over to Red Cross workers in a highly-choreographed public show in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
Surrounded by heavily armed Hamas militants, the men briefly addressed a crowd of Palestinians before being transferred into Red Cross vehicles.
They did not look as gaunt as the hostages freed a week earlier – their appearance had aroused anger in Israel and elsewhere.
Under the first six-week stage of the ceasefire deal, 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners are supposed to be freed.
The Israeli hostages appeared before a crowd in Khan Younis before their release.
The three men were airlifted by military helicopters to a hospital in central Israel, where they underwent medical tests and were reunited with relatives.
Yair Horn and his brother Eitan, 37, had been abducted from a kibbutz during the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas. Eitan remains in captivity in Gaza.
US citizen Sagui Dekel-Chen also reunited with his wife, where he learned that he had a one-year-old daughter. His wife had been eight months pregnant with their third child when he was captured by Hamas in October 2023.
US President Donald Trump marked the hostage release on Saturday, noting Hamas had not followed through with their threat.
“They seem to be in good shape,” he said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, posting on social media, said the hostages had been “forced to endure” a “despicable and cynical ceremony”.
In a social media post, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue to work with the US to “ensure that all hostages return to Israel soon”.
The majority of the freed Palestinians were taken to Gaza, although some were taken to the West Bank. In both areas, crowds gathered to welcome the former prisoners.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society told the BBC that five of those released in the West Bank city of Ramallah were taken straight to hospital.
“They all have chronic illnesses,” said Mohammad Faqih, an official from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, adding that one man had a broken leg.
Most of the 36 Palestinians serving life sentences will reportedly be deported to Egypt.
The latest releases mean that under the ceasefire, Hamas is due to free another 14 hostages.
However Israel says eight are of them are dead, meaning six living Israelis are still expected to be returned in the first phase.
A total of 141 hostages have now been freed, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals released as part of a previous deal between Israel and Hamas.
About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken back to Gaza as hostages when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
This triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, the Hamas-run health ministry says. —BBC
