by Admin
Feb 15, 2025
Hamas released three Israeli captives on Saturday, while Israel began freeing 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
The three captives which are Sagui Dekel-Chen, Alexander Sasha Troufanov, and Iair Horn were escorted onto a stage at the release site in Khan Younis by Hamas fighters, according to live footage.
Addressing the crowd briefly through a microphone, they called for further hostage exchanges under the ongoing truce before being transferred to Israel via Red Cross vehicles.
Shortly after their release, the first bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners and detainees departed from Israel’s Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The bus arrived in Ramallah to a jubilant crowd, with many waving Palestinian flags. Some of the freed prisoners, dressed in traditional keffiyeh scarves, were lifted onto shoulders and embraced by family members before undergoing brief medical examinations.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, some of the released detainees are in extremely poor health.
Previously freed prisoners have exhibited signs of severe torture, malnutrition, and illness. Additional buses carrying prisoners departed from an Israeli detention facility in the Negev desert, bound for Gaza.
The advocacy group stated that 24 of the released prisoners are expected to be deported, while nearly all of the remaining 345 were arrested in Gaza after October 7. Among them, 36 were serving life sentences, with some having spent more than two decades in Israeli prisons.
Meanwhile, in Israel, hundreds gathered in Tel Aviv to watch the captives’ release live on a large screen. Cheers and tears erupted when news broke that the Red Cross was transporting the three Israelis to military forces in Gaza.
This marks the sixth exchange since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, easing concerns that the agreement could collapse before the conclusion of its 42-day first phase.
Under the terms of the truce, 33 Israeli captives are to be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian detainees. The deal also allows for the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza and the repositioning of Israeli troops to a perimeter zone.
Before Saturday’s exchange, Hamas had already released 16 Israeli captives and five Thai nationals in an unscheduled handover. Last week, three Israelis were freed in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners.
The six-week ceasefire is intended to facilitate further negotiations for the release of remaining captives and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces. The third phase of the truce would involve discussions on the governance and reconstruction of Gaza.
Despite tensions, with Hamas accusing Israel of repeated ceasefire violations and Israel threatening to resume military operations, both sides ultimately proceeded with the latest swap as scheduled.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that 92 people have been killed and 822 wounded since the start of the truce.