In the sixth hostage-prisoner swap, the Hamas militants on Saturday handed over three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Yunis. The hostages returned to Israel in exchange for over 300 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, who are set to be released.
According to a news report from AFP, Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, Israeli-Russian Sasha Trupanov and Israeli-Argentinian Yair Horn were made to parade on the stage before their release. The men, clutching gift bags and certificates from their captors, were instructed to address the crowd before leaving with the Red Cross. The release, the sixth since the truce took effect on January 19, comes after days of uncertainty, with both sides signalling on Friday that the exchange would proceed despite rising tensions.
The military said that the hostages are now in the Israeli army’s custody.
A choreographed handover
The handover took place in a heavily orchestrated ceremony, with around 200 Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters deployed for security. Dozens of Hamas militants stood around a stage bearing the logo of the group’s armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, as Palestinian nationalist music played.
In Tel Aviv, large crowds gathered in “Hostages Square” to watch the exchange, waving Israeli flags and holding posters in support of the remaining captives. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, an advocacy group, confirmed that among the 369 released prisoners, 24 would be deported. Most of the others were individuals from Gaza arrested after October 7.
Growing concerns over captivity and conditions
Last week’s hostage release sparked international outrage after freed captives appeared visibly emaciated. Former hostage Keith Siegel, an Israeli-American released in an earlier swap, described his experience as “starvation and torture, both physically and emotionally.” Concerns also persist over the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. Some required medical attention upon their release in previous swaps, raising alarm over detention conditions.
Trump’s controversial plan and Arab resistance
The ceasefire remains under immense strain, particularly following US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to relocate Gaza’s population of over two million to Egypt or Jordan, a move widely condemned by Arab nations. For Palestinians, any forced displacement evokes the “Nakba” or “catastrophe”, the mass displacement of Palestinians during Israel’s creation in 1948.
In response, Saudi Arabia will host Egyptian, Jordanian, Qatari, and UAE leaders for a summit on Thursday to discuss the proposal. The Arab League is also set to convene in Cairo on February 27 to further address the issue. A joint statement from Christian church leaders in Jerusalem condemned the idea of forced displacement, saying that Gazans “must not be forced into exile, stripped of their right to remain in the land that forms the essence of their identity.”
Ceasefire talks and the road ahead
The truce agreement, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, includes a second phase of negotiations meant to discuss steps toward ending the war. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially refused to engage in talks about the next phase. A Hamas official, Taher al-Nunu, confirmed that discussions for the second phase are now expected to begin next week in Doha. Mediators hope the negotiations will restart in an effort to extend the ceasefire and secure the release of more hostages.
The toll of war
The October 7 Hamas attack on Israel left 1,211 people dead, mostly civilians, with 251 hostages taken into Gaza. As of now, 73 hostages remain in captivity, including 35 that Israel believes are deceased. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has resulted in at least 48,239 deaths in Gaza, primarily civilians, according to the territory’s health ministry. The United Nations considers these casualty figures reliable.A s tensions persist, the future of the ceasefire remains uncertain, with hostages and prisoners caught in the crossfire of a conflict that shows no signs of a clear resolution.