Three Hostages from Israel Released from Gaza Arrive Home
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On February 15, three Israeli hostages, previously held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, were transferred to Israeli authorities. Their return is part of an ongoing ceasefire deal, as reported by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). This event marks a significant moment in the ongoing conflict and negotiations.
Key Takeaways
- Three Israeli hostages have been released from Gaza.
- The hostages were previously held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
- Release part of a ceasefire exchange agreement.
- Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu attributes the release to U.S. pressure.
- Israel to start releasing Palestinian prisoners soon.
Jerusalem, Feb 15 (NationPress) Three Israeli hostages who were held captive by Palestinian factions Hamas and Islamic Jihad have been successfully handed over to Israeli officials and have crossed into Israel on Saturday as part of a continuing ceasefire exchange, as reported by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
The liberated hostages include Alexandre Sasha Troufanov, a 29-year-old Israeli-Russian citizen; Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old Israeli-American citizen; and Iair Horn, a 46-year-old Israeli-Argentine citizen, all of whom were abducted during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Troufanov was taken captive alongside his mother, grandmother, and partner; the three women were released in an earlier hostage exchange in November 2023. His father tragically lost his life on the day of the kidnapping.
Dekel-Chen, a father of three, welcomed a daughter into the world after his abduction. Horn’s brother, Eitan, still remains imprisoned in Gaza.
According to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "Due to the strategic positioning of our forces around the Gaza Strip and the unequivocal stance of U.S. President Donald Trump, Hamas has agreed to withdraw, allowing for the continuation of hostage releases."
Trump had previously warned that if "all hostages" were not released by noon on Saturday, the truce would be lifted, and he would unleash chaos.
Initially, Hamas had planned to postpone the hostage release, claiming Israeli breaches of the agreement, as reported by Xinhua news agency. However, by Thursday, the group confirmed that it would continue with the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages.
The three hostages represent the sixth group to be released as part of a swap agreement between Palestinian militants and Israel under the initial phase of the ceasefire deal, with Israel anticipated to start releasing 369 Palestinian prisoners later on Saturday.
