Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip as part of the sixth prisoner exchange under a fragile ceasefire agreement with Israel.
The hostages, identified as Sagui Dekel-Chen (Israeli-American), Sasha Trupanov (Israeli-Russian), and Yair Horn (Israeli-Argentinian), were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
In exchange for these hostages, Israel is releasing 369 Palestinian prisoners from its jails. Most of these prisoners are from Gaza and were arrested after October 7, 2023. A few will be released in the West Bank or East Jerusalem, while others may be sent to Egypt.
This swap marks a significant development in maintaining the ceasefire that began on January 19. However, concerns remain about its long-term viability due to ongoing tensions and challenges in negotiating further phases of the agreement.
The release follows a period where tensions escalated after Hamas threatened to halt hostage releases due to alleged breaches by Israel. Diplomatic efforts by international leaders helped revive negotiations.
The ceremony was heavily guarded by Hamas fighters and included a stage appearance by the hostages before their handover. Previous exchanges have raised concerns about conditions during captivity after freed hostages appeared emaciated.
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