Three Israeli hostages—Yair Horn, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Sasha Troufanov—were released from Hamas captivity on Saturday, February 15, following successful mediation by Egyptian and Qatari officials, as reported by NDTV.
The three were taken hostage during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. After months in captivity, they were first handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross before being transferred to Israeli forces. The Israeli military has confirmed their safe return to Israel.
As part of the negotiated exchange, Israel will release 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in return for the three hostages. This agreement marks a crucial step in maintaining the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas amid ongoing tensions.
The transfer took place in Khan Yunis, a city in southern Gaza, where the hostages were seen being escorted to the Red Cross. Meanwhile, Hamas has warned that further hostage releases could be delayed unless Israel allows more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Reports suggest that Israel has been restricting aid, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
With this latest exchange, the number of hostages freed since the start of the ceasefire has now reached 19. However, many hostages remain in captivity, and negotiations for their release continue.
