Israel to Release Three Hostages and 369 Palestinian Prisoners on Saturday

Synopsis

Israel has confirmed the upcoming release of three hostages from Hamas on Saturday, alongside the release of 369 Palestinian prisoners. This marks a significant event in the ongoing conflict amid rising tensions and international warnings.

Key Takeaways

Three hostages are set for release from Hamas.
369 Palestinian prisoners will also be freed on Saturday.
This is part of an ongoing ceasefire agreement.
International tensions are rising ahead of the release.
Hamas initially delayed the release but confirmed adherence to the agreement.

Jerusalem/Gaza, Feb 14 (NationPress) Israel announced on Friday that it has received a list identifying three hostages who are scheduled to be released on Saturday from Hamas custody in the Gaza Strip.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially described the list as 'acceptable by Israel,' but later a spokesman clarified that receiving the list does not imply any formal position from Israel. 'This is purely a factual statement and does not indicate any Israeli stance on the issue,' the spokesperson noted.

The list was conveyed to Israel through Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries.

According to a release from the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military faction, the hostages include: Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, a 29-year-old Israeli-Russian civilian; Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old Israeli-American civilian; and Yair Horn, a 46-year-old Israeli.

In parallel, Israeli army radio indicated that 369 Palestinian prisoners will also be freed on Saturday. Of these, 333 will be returned to Gaza, while 10 will head back to their homes in the West Bank and one will be released in East Jerusalem. The remaining 25 prisoners, who were sentenced to life, may be deported to Gaza or sent abroad via Egypt, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

This event will represent the sixth round of prisoner-for-hostage exchanges between Israel and Hamas under the ceasefire agreement that commenced on January 19.

This expected release occurs amidst rising tensions following remarks from US President Donald Trump, who cautioned that if 'all of the hostages' in Gaza were not released by Saturday noon, the ceasefire would be revoked, and he would 'let chaos ensue.' Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz echoed this warning, stating that Israel would resume its military actions against Gaza.

On Monday, Hamas announced a delay in the hostage release planned for Saturday, citing Israeli breaches of the agreement and demanding a reaffirmation from Israel regarding its commitment to the ceasefire. However, on Thursday, the group confirmed it would proceed with the ceasefire agreement, including the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages as originally planned.