GAZA: Palestinian group Hamas released three more captives in the Gaza Strip as the sixth such exchange pushed ahead following days of tense negotiations that threatened to undo the precarious ceasefire.
The three captives identified as American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, Russian-Israeli Alexander Sasha Trufanov, and Argentinian-Israeli Yair Horn were released to members of the International Committee of the Red Cross during a brief ceremony on Saturday in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis.
All three were among those taken by Hamas following its October 7 attack on southern Israel.
Dekel-Chen, Trufanov and Horn were seen carrying certificates for their release and maps of Palestine. They were transported back to Israel for medical examinations before reuniting with their families.
With Saturday’s handover, the number of captives released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad has reached 25 since the ceasefire began on January 19.
Dozens of armed Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters guarded the square where the handover took place.
Hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including women, children and the elderly, gathered behind the security cordon trying to witness the release.
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Hamas issued a statement after the release saying it was “a renewed message” to Israel.
“The release of the sixth batch of enemy prisoners, confirms there is no way to free them except through negotiations and by adhering to the requirements of the ceasefire agreement,” the group said.
In return for the three captives, Israel is set to return 369 Palestinian prisoners who have been held in Israeli jails, most without any charges or convictions. It is the largest number of Palestinians to be freed since the beginning of the ceasefire.
Most of the prisoners were arrested in Gaza and will be sent back to the besieged enclave. About 10 will be released in the occupied West Bank, one in occupied East Jerusalem, and 25 will either be sent to Gaza or Egypt.
Muhanad Seloom of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies told Al Jazeera so far both parties to the ceasefire are trying to stick to the agreement.
“The tough negotiations would be what comes after the first phase. While the focus is on the release of the hostages, the main question should be what is going to happen the next day?” he said.
