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On Saturday, Hamas released three additional Israeli men held in Gaza, as a delicate ceasefire teetered on the brink of collapse after nearly four weeks. The release was orchestrated in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross during a ceremony in Khan Younis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip that has suffered significant destruction and is considered a Hamas stronghold.
These men, Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old American-Israeli, Sasha Troufanov, a 29-year-old Russian-Israeli, and Iair Horn, a 46-year-old Argentine-Israeli, were taken from their homes in the Nir Oz kibbutz. This occurred during Hamas’s aggressive incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 fatalities, as reported by Israeli authorities.
At the ceremony, Hamas displayed weapons and uniforms seized from Israeli military operations. Meanwhile, Israel began releasing over 350 Palestinian detainees as part of the ceasefire terms, which included individuals serving life sentences for violence against Israelis. Most of the others had been held in Israeli prisons without formal charges, having been apprehended in Gaza amidst a 15-month conflict that local officials say has claimed the lives of over 48,000 people in the area.
Tensions flared earlier in the week when Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by preventing essential equipment, meant to aid displaced residents, from entering Gaza. Hamas warned that the release of hostages might be suspended if Israel didn’t comply with the agreement. Nevertheless, Arab media footage soon showed heavy machinery entering from Egypt, and Hamas decided to continue with the planned releases.
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his firm stance against Hamas renewed troop deployments near Gaza’s border and his threat to resume conflict compelled Hamas to relent. He accused Hamas of attempting to falsely depict a breakdown in the agreement.
Following the hostages’ release, US President Donald Trump stepped back from his earlier threat that significant retaliation would ensue if all captives were not freed by noon on Saturday, opting instead to defer the matter to Israel’s discretion.
The current ceasefire marks a transition between the first and second negotiation phases aimed at ending the war. During the initial six weeks ending in early March, Hamas must free 33 Israeli hostages, prioritizing children, women, and men over 50. By now, 24 hostages have been released—19 Israelis and five Thai workers. Many of the remaining 73 hostages are believed to have died, with only six expected to be alive among the group yet to be freed in this phase.
Initially, Hamas captured about 250 individuals on October 7, 2023. A brief ceasefire in November saw the release of approximately 120 hostages in exchange for numerous Palestinian detainees.
Negotiations to transition from this temporary arrangement to a lasting truce, potentially resulting in Israel’s permanent withdrawal from Gaza, have not yet commenced in earnest. While talks were anticipated to start last week, Israel has yet to send high-level teams to Qatar or Egypt, the mediating countries along with the US.
The peace process is under increasing strain, partly due to operational disputes and Trump’s repeated declarations that the US should take control of Gaza. His proposal, suggesting the possible expulsion of around 2.3 million Palestinian civilians, bolsters Netanyahu’s hesitance to conclude hostilities with Hamas.
This week, Trump met with Jordan’s King Abdullah at the White House and reiterated his view that Jordan and Egypt should accommodate the refugees, stirring widespread disapproval from the Arab nations. Responding to Saturday’s hostage release, Hamas declared, “We tell the world, there is no emigration except to Jerusalem,” rebuffing Trump’s plans for displacement.
Additional insights by Steff Chávez in Washington provide further context to the intricate political landscape surrounding these developments.
