Three Israeli hostages—Sagui Dekel-Chen, Alexandre Troufanov, and Iair Horn—have been released from Gaza under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The release, which took place in Khan Younis, marked the sixth such exchange under the ongoing truce. The hostages, appearing in relatively stable condition, were presented on stage by militants before being transferred to Israeli authorities.
Their release comes as part of a broader exchange deal, with Israel freeing 369 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday. Of those, 333 were transported back to Gaza, while 36 were released to the occupied West Bank, including 24 exiled to Egypt. Some detainees were forced to wear uniforms marked with the slogan “We will not forget, and we will not forgive,” a move condemned by Palestinian groups.
In Gaza, armed militants staged a show of force near the release site, carrying weapons and displaying banners rejecting displacement. The event took place near the home of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israel in October.
The ceasefire agreement remains fragile, with Hamas previously delaying releases over accusations of Israeli non-compliance. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited U.S. pressure for Hamas’ decision to proceed with the latest exchange.
So far, 19 Israeli hostages have been freed under the current truce, with 33 promised in total—though Israel reports that eight of those hostages are already deceased. Despite the recent releases, the future of the ceasefire remains uncertain as the March 1 deadline for its extension approaches.
The conflict, which began with Hamas’ October 7 attack that left over 1,200 Israelis dead, has resulted in Israel’s retaliatory bombardment of Gaza, killing more than 48,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. The war has also escalated tensions in the region, drawing in Iran-backed groups such as Hezbollah and the Houthis.
