Hamas-led militants released three Israeli hostages on Saturday, and Israeli forces began releasing hundreds of prisoners in return.
Extremists in the Southern Gaza Strip paraded with 46-year-old Iair Horn, a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina, three hostages. Sagui Dekel Chen of American Israel, 36; and Russian Israel Alexander (Sasha) Torfanov, 29 years old – before the crowd releases them.
On October 7th, 2023, everyone was lured out by Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community that hit hard on the hard October 7th, and there was an attack that sparked the war. They looked pale and worn out, but looked better physical than the three men released last Saturday.
The ceasefire, which began almost four weeks ago, was in danger on a recent day by a tense conflict that threatened to renew the battle.
The controversial proposal by US President Donald Trump to remove more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza and settle them elsewhere in the region has further doubts about the future of the ceasefire.
President Donald Trump said at an oval office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday that the US should control the Gaza Strip.
However, Hamas said Thursday that he would move forward with the release of more hostages after discussions with Egyptian and Qatari officials. The group said the mediators have pledged to “remove all hurdles” to ensure Israel allows more tents, medical supplies and other essentials to Gaza.
Like the previous exchange, the hostage release was highly choreographed, with the prisoners walking on stage and talking to the microphone in front of the crowd. Dozens of masked armed Hamas fighters lined up near the stage decorated with Palestinian flags and militant factions.
In Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, hostages were moved to the Red Cross, causing great cheers. “Iair, Sagui and Sasha are on their way home!” the announcer said.
In return for the release of hostages, Israel began resigning 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The bus carrying the first released prisoners arrived at Beitonia, the occupied west bank town, where they were greeted by cheering crowds and supporters. Some people showed Gantt and Palestinian Red Crescent Emergency Service said four people were immediately taken for treatment.
This is the sixth swap since the ceasefire came into effect on January 19th. Before Saturday, 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners were released during the first phase of the ceasefire.
Who are the hostages and prisoners?
Horn was accused of his brother Eitan Horn, who was with him at the time. The 37-year-old Eitan remains in captivity and is not on the list of hostages expected to be released at the first stage of the ceasefire.
“Now we can breathe a little. Our Iair will be at home after surviving hell in Gaza,” his family said in a statement. “Now we need to get Eitan back so that our families can really breathe.”
Dekel Chen worked outside when extremists attacked the kibbutz. His pregnant wife, Avital Dekel Chen, hid in a safe room with her two daughters. She gave birth to her third daughter two months later. Speaking to Israeli media on Saturday, she said she was happily overwhelmed to return to Israel to see Sagui, where she would be the first to meet his youngest daughter, Shacha.
Torfanov, whose father was killed in the attack on October 7th, was taken hostage along with his grandmother, mother and girlfriend. The three women were released in a short ceasefire in November 2023. Torfanov was informed of his father’s death after his release, shortly before he was reunited with a family member who he said was “overwhelmed with emotions and gratitude” when he crossed into Israeli territory.
Of the 369 Palestinians released from Israeli prisons, 36 were serving life sentences, according to the Prisoner Information Bureau linked to Hamas.
Most notable is 48-year-old Ahmed Barguthi (48), the extremist leader and an intimate aide to iconic Palestinian politician Marwan Barguthi.
Israel has declared life to Ahmed Barguthi on accusations of sending suicide bombers during a second Intifada or Palestinian uprising to carry out an attack that killed Israeli civilians in the early 2000s. He was arrested in 2002 along with Marwan Barguty.
There is a growing concern about the remaining hostage status.
Of the 251 people accused during the attack on October 7th, 73 remained in Gaza, with about half of them believed to be dead. Almost all of the remaining hostages are men, including Israeli soldiers.
There has been growing concern about their condition, especially after it was released last Saturday.
One of them, 65-year-old Keith Siegel, in a video message to Trump on Friday, said that his prisoner kicked him, spewed him, and hugged him without water or light. So he said in a video message saying he had made him worse.
According to the contract, the battle will be suspended in Gaza for six weeks, releasing dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The ceasefire remains extremely vulnerable
The ceasefire has recently appeared dangerously close to collapse.
Hamas has said it will delay the release of hostages after accusing Israel of not following the agreement to not allow cleavage tiles to be cleaned up to eliminate adequate shelters, medical supplies, fuel and heavy equipment. Ta. Israel said it will resume fighting on Saturday unless the hostages are released.
The immediate crisis may have been averted, but the ceasefire is facing a much bigger challenge in the first phase, due to end in early March. There were no substantial negotiations yet in the second phase. Hamas releases all remaining hostages in exchange for the end of the war.
At that height, the battle drove 90% of Gaza’s population to 2.3 million. Many found only tiled rubs, buried human bodies, and unexploded weapons, but hundreds of thousands returned to their homes.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the war killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Israel says it killed more than 17,000 militants without providing evidence.
Trump’s plan raises uncertainty
Trump’s proposal to remove around 2 million Palestinians from Gaza and resolve them elsewhere in the area has cast even more doubt on the future of the armistice.
This idea is welcomed by the Israeli government. However, it has been strongly rejected by the Palestinians and Arab countries. Human rights groups say it could become a war crime under international law.
President Donald Trump said during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday that Palestinians in Gaza should be moved to their new homes.
Trump proposed that once the battle ends, Israel would transfer control of Gaza to the United States, which would redevelop it as the “Middle Eastern Riviera.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies have already called for the resumption of war after the first phase, with the goal of destroying Hamas and implementing Trump’s plans. Extremist groups continue to control their territory after surviving one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history.
Hamas may not want to release any more hostages if they believe the war will resume. The POW is one of the only negotiation tips it left behind.
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Bwaitel reported from Beitunia on the West Bank, while Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Contributors were Deia Al Bala in Cairo, Warfa Shurafa in Sammy Magidi of Cairo.
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