Three Israeli men who were held captive in the Gaza Strip are scheduled to regain their freedom on Saturday. In return, more than 300 Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli penitentiaries will be released. This exchange is a significant development that signifies a potential resolution amid the delicate ceasefire arrangement, which has been on shaky ground in recent times.
Most of the 73 individuals who are still in captivity are men, including Israeli military personnel, and approximately half of them are presumed to have lost their lives. Since the commencement of the ceasefire on January 19, there have been five previous exchanges between the two parties. These swaps have resulted in the liberation of 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian detainees during the initial phase of the truce.
However, the future remains uncertain as the success of the next phase hinges on a more intricate agreement. This phase requires the release of all remaining hostages who were seized during Hamas’ assault on October 7, 2023. Moreover, it mandates an open-ended extension of the ceasefire. Failure to reach a consensus on these terms could potentially reignite hostilities and lead to a resumption of conflict.
Here’s the latest:
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Who are the hostages and prisoners being released?
All three hostages set to be released are men who were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, where some 80 of roughly 400 residents were taken hostage during the Oct. 7 attack.
Iair Horn, 46, is a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina. He was abducted along with his brother, Eitan Horn, who was staying with him at the time. Eitan remains in captivity.
Sagui Dekel Chen, 36, is an American-Israeli had was working outside when militants stormed the kibbutz. His wife hid in a safe room with their two daughters. She gave birth to their third daughter two months later.
Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29, who holds Israeli and Russian citizenship, was taken hostage along with his grandmother, mother and girlfriend. The three women were released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Troufanov’s father was killed in the Oct. 7 attack.
Among the most prominent of the more than 300 Palestinian prisoners set to be released is Ahmed Barghouti, 48, a close aide of militant leader and iconic Palestinian political figure Marwan Barghouti.
Israel sentenced Ahmed Barghouti to life on charges that he dispatched suicide bombers during the Second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising, in the early 2000s to carry out attacks that killed Israeli civilians. He was arrested alongside Marwan Barghouti in 2002.
The truce is holding, but it’s still very fragile
The ceasefire appeared dangerously close to collapse in recent days.
Hamas said it would delay the release of the hostages after accusing Israel of not adhering to their agreement by not allowing in enough shelters, medical supplies, fuel and heavy equipment for clearing rubble, while Israel said it would resume fighting Saturday unless hostages were freed.
Trump’s proposal to remove some 2 million Palestinians from Gaza and settle them elsewhere in the region threw the truce’s future into further doubt. Trump has proposed that once the fighting ends, Israel would transfer control of Gaza to the United States, which would then redevelop it as the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
The idea has been welcomed by Israel’s government, whose far-right members are already calling for a resumption of the war after the first phase with the goal of destroying Hamas and implementing Trump’s plan. But it has been strongly rejected by Palestinians and Arab countries, and human rights groups say it could amount to a war crime under international law.
Hamas may be unwilling to release any more hostages if it believes the war will resume. The captives are among the only bargaining chips it has left.
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