Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, freed from exchanging fire

Hamas released three Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, in the last exchange under the termination of the fire, agreed by Israel and the armed group last month.

The three hostages, surrendered on Saturday, are the American-Israel Sagui Decale, 36 years old, the Argentine-Israeli Yir Horn, 46-year-old, and the Russian-Israeli Alexander Trufanov, 29.

In return, 369 Palestinians were released in Israeli prisons.

So far, 19 hostages held in Gaza and more than 1000 Palestinian prisoners have been released as part of the cessation of Gaza’s fire, which begins on January 19, 2025.

By the end of the first six -week stage of the deal, 33 hostages and 1900 prisoners are expected to be released.

On Saturday, in the sixth Swap of last month, the Israeli hostages were handed over to Khan Eunice in the southern Gaza strip.

Surrounded by highly armed Hamas fighters, men briefly turned to a crowd of Palestinians before being transferred to Red Cross vehicles.

They did not seem as insightful as the hostages, released a week earlier – their appearance caused anger in Israel and elsewhere.

Jair Horn and his brother Eitan, 37, were abducted by Kibbutz during the attacks on October 7, 2023 by Hamas. Eitan Horn remains captured in gas.

The three men were diverted by military helicopters to a hospital in Central Israel, where they would undergo medical tests and be reunited with relatives.

Israeli President Isaac The Duke, by publishing on social media, said the hostages were “forced to withstand” a “contemptuous and cynical ceremony”.

In a social media publication, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel will continue to work with the United States to “ensure that all hostages are returning to Israel soon.”

The bigger part of the released Palestinians were taken to Gaza, although some were taken to the west coast. In both areas, the crowds gathered to welcome the former prisoners.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society told the BBC that five of Ramala’s liberated in the city city had been taken to hospital.

“They all have chronic diseases,” says Mohammed Fakich, an employee of the Palestinian Society of the Red Crescent, adding that one person has a broken leg.

Most of the 36 Palestinians serving life sentences will be deported to Egypt.

Earlier this week, Hamas threatened to delay the liberation of hostages after accusing Israel of breaching the terms of the agreement, something that Israel denied.

Israel, backed by US President Donald Trump, said the “intense” battles would resume unless the hostages were betrayed.

The latter versions mean that when the fire is terminated, Hamas is due to the release of 14 more hostages.

However, Israel says eight of them are dead, which means that six living Israelis are still expected to be returned to the first phase.

A total of 141 hostages have now been released, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreign citizens, published as part of a previous deal between Israel and Hamas.

About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken back to Gaza as hostages when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

This caused a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which killed over 48,000 Palestinians, says Hamas Health Ministry.