Hamas to Release Three Israeli Hostages in Exchange for Palestinian Prisoners
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Gaza: In a significant development, Hamas has confirmed that it will release three Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Israel. This move is aimed at easing ongoing tensions in the region and maintaining the fragile ceasefire between the two sides.
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Hostages to Be Released in Exchange for Palestinian Prisoners
According to Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the three Israeli hostages set for release are:
- Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, a 29-year-old Russian civilian
- Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old Israeli-American civilian
- Yair Horn, a 46-year-old Israeli
Israel has confirmed the list of hostages to be freed from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, with the list delivered through Qatari and Egyptian mediators. Initially, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the list was “acceptable by Israel,” but a spokesperson later clarified that the statement was purely factual and did not represent an official position.
369 Palestinian Prisoners to Be Released by Israel
In return, Israel will release 369 Palestinian prisoners, including:
- 333 prisoners will be sent back to Gaza
- 10 prisoners will be returned to the West Bank
- 1 prisoner will be released in East Jerusalem
Additionally, 25 Palestinian prisoners currently serving life sentences will either be deported to Gaza or sent abroad via Egypt. This marks the sixth prisoner-for-hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas under the ceasefire agreement that began on January 19.
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Growing Tensions Amid Hostage Exchange
The release of the hostages comes amidst rising tensions, particularly after US President Donald Trump issued a warning. Trump stated that if “all of the hostages” in Gaza were not freed by Saturday at noon, the truce would be canceled, and military action would resume. Both Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz echoed Trump’s statement, pledging to resume Israel’s military offensive in Gaza if the deadline is not met.
This prisoner exchange underscores the delicate and volatile situation in the region, with the future of peace talks remaining uncertain despite ongoing ceasefire efforts.
