In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian group Hamas has released three more Israeli hostages this afternoon under the ceasefire deal that took effect last month. This marks the sixth exchange of hostages under the truce. All three hostages are men who were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, where approximately 80 of the 400 residents were taken hostage during the October 7 attack.
Meanwhile, Hamas’ Prisoner Media Office announced that Israel is expected to release 369 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the three hostages. These prisoners include 36 individuals serving life sentences and 333 from Gaza.
It was the sixth group of hostages freed as part of a fragile ceasefire deal that nearly collapsed this week between the Palestinian militant group and Israel. In exchange for the released hostages, Palestinian authorities expect Israel to release 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The three male civilian hostages released are Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, Alexander Trupanov, a 29-year-old dual Russian-Israeli citizen, and Yair Horn, a 46-year-old dual Argentinian-Israeli.
The hostages were brought onto a stage, where a slogan on a large poster alluded to President Trump’s plan to transfer Gaza’s entire population to neighboring countries. “No migration except to Jerusalem,” it said. The three hostages were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Khan Younis, a city in south Gaza.
