In a significant development under the ceasefire agreement established last month, Hamas has released three Israeli hostages in return for the liberation of Palestinian inmates. This swap occurred on Saturday in Khan Younis, a city located in the southern Gaza Strip.
Details of the Hostage Exchange
The three individuals released are American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, aged 36, Argentinian-Israeli Yair Horn, aged 46, and Russian-Israeli Alexander Troufanov, aged 29. In exchange, 369 Palestinians who were imprisoned in Israeli facilities regained their freedom. This event marks the sixth swap since the ceasefire commenced on January 19, 2025.
As a part of the ongoing negotiations, 19 hostages held in Gaza and over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners have been released thus far. By the conclusion of the initial six-week phase of the agreement, it is anticipated that 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners will have been set free.
Reactions and Aftermath
Upon their release, the Israeli hostages were surrounded by heavily armed Hamas militants and addressed a crowd of Palestinians before being ushered into Red Cross vehicles. Unlike previous hostages who appeared significantly malnourished, these men seemed to be in better condition. They were subsequently airlifted to a hospital in central Israel for medical evaluations and to reunite with their families.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog remarked on social media that the hostages had been “forced to endure” a “despicable and cynical ceremony.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that efforts would continue in collaboration with the United States to ensure the safe return of all hostages to Israel.
Following their release, most of the freed Palestinian prisoners were transported to Gaza, while some were taken to the West Bank, where large crowds gathered to welcome them. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that five of those released in Ramallah were immediately taken to a hospital due to chronic health issues, including one individual suffering from a broken leg. It is also expected that many of the 36 Palestinians serving life sentences will face deportation to Egypt.
Earlier in the week, tensions rose as Hamas threatened to postpone future hostage releases, accusing Israel of breaching the terms of the ceasefire agreement—claims that were denied by Israeli officials. Israel, with the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump, warned that “intense” military operations would resume unless the remaining hostages were returned.
The recent exchanges have led to the expectation that Hamas will soon release another 14 hostages, although Israeli officials claim that eight of them are deceased, leaving six living Israelis anticipated to be returned in this phase. To date, a total of 141 hostages have been freed, comprising 81 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals as part of earlier agreements. This series of events comes in the wake of a brutal assault by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the capture of numerous individuals as hostages, provoking a large-scale Israeli military response that has reportedly claimed more than 48,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.