Hamas has announced the names of three Israeli hostages who will be released on Saturday as part of a weekend exchange under the fragile ceasefire agreement.
The hostages—Israeli-Argentinian Iair Horn aged-46, Israeli-American Sagui Dekel Chen aged-36, and Israeli-Russian Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov aged-29—were abducted during the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, news agency AP reported.
The trio was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, which was severely affected during the Hamas-led assault that ignited the ongoing war.
In return, Israel is set to release over 300 Palestinian prisoners, marking the sixth swap since the ceasefire began on January 21.
Although the ceasefire has held since January, tensions have risen due to disputes over Israel’s compliance with the deal.
Hamas had previously threatened to delay the release of the next hostages, citing Israel’s failure to provide sufficient supplies and support to Gaza.
The Israeli government has confirmed that it has received the list of hostages set to be released. According to Hamas-linked sources, 369 Palestinian prisoners, including 36 serving life sentences, will be freed as part of the exchange.
Horn was kidnapped alongside his brother Eitan, who remains in captivity. Dekel Chen was seized while working on a bus renovation project at the kibbutz. His wife, Avital, who was seven months pregnant at the time, sought shelter with their two daughters. Troufanov was taken along with his family, but his grandmother, mother, and girlfriend were released in a previous ceasefire. Troufanov’s father was killed during the October attack.
Concerns about the remaining hostages continue to grow. Out of 251 individuals initially abducted, 73 remain in Gaza, with many feared dead.
Some released hostages have shared harrowing accounts of their treatment. Keith Siegel, one of the hostages released last Saturday, described in a video message how he endured physical and emotional abuse, including being deprived of food, water, and light.
He appealed to US President Donald Trump to ensure the ceasefire holds and all hostages are brought home.
While the first phase of the ceasefire is scheduled to end in March, discussions about a second phase, in which all remaining hostages would be released in exchange for an end to the war, have not progressed.
Trump’s proposal to relocate Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians to other countries has added uncertainty to the future of the ceasefire.
The plan, which has been backed by Israel, faces strong opposition from Palestinians and Arab countries and has drawn criticism from human rights groups.
The violence in Gaza has resulted in significant loss of life, with more than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, reported dead. The war has also displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s population. Israel’s offensive has heavily damaged the territory, and although many have returned to their homes, the destruction remains widespread.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed Trump’s warnings, stating that a new war would ensue if Hamas halts the release of hostages.
He affirmed that Israel’s military actions would not stop until Hamas was defeated, paving the way for the mass displacement vision outlined by Trump.