Hamas on Saturday released three new Israeli hostages from Gaza, marking the sixth exchange since the Gaza ceasefire deal came into effect on January 19.
American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, Russian-Israeli Alexandre Troufanov and Argentine-Israeli Iair Horn were released in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, around 10 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET). They were seen exiting vehicles surrounded by militants, who ushered the hostages on stage, where the captives addressed the crowd, reported CNN.
The physical condition of the three hostages seems to be much better than those freed in the previous week.
Their deteriorated physical condition, as claimed by Israel, had attracted condemnation.
People in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, holding posters, watched as the detained people were released by Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces posted on X: “After 498 days, Alexandre, Sagui and Iair are finally home.”
Israel is expected to release 369 Palestinian prisoners later Saturday, the Palestinian Prisoner Society was quoted as saying by CNN.
It is going to be the largest number of Palestinian prisoners to be freed since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.
Troufanov was kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas members, an incident which triggered Israel’s Gaza invasion.
Apart from Troufanov, his grandmother, Irena Tati, his mother Lena Troufanov and girlfriend Sapir Cohen, were also abducted.
However, they were all released in the earlier phase of the cease deal.
His father, who was identified as Vitaly, was killed during the attack.
Dekel-Chen was 35 when he was abducted by Hamas.
His wife was pregnant with their third child at the time of his abduction.
His third child was born when he was in captivity.
Horn was abducted along with his brother Eitan.
Eitan still remains in captivity.
Before today’s exchange, 16 Israeli and five Thai nationals, out of the 33 scheduled, hostages have been released in the current phase of the ceasefire deal.
