Hamas released three more hostages as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel. The hostages—Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29; Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36; and Yair Horn, 46—were exchanged for over 300 Palestinian prisoners. Troufanov holds both Israeli and Russian citizenship, Dekel-Chen is an American-Israeli, and Horn is a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina.
Hamas took these three individuals during its attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023. This attack marked the start of the war in Gaza.
The exchange is part of a fragile ceasefire agreement. It has held despite strong statements from international figures, including US President Donald Trump. He warned of severe consequences if Hamas does not release all remaining hostages. Trump has also suggested that the US could take control of Gaza and assist in resettling Palestinians.
Currently, Hamas holds around 70 hostages, most of whom are Israeli soldiers. Many of the remaining hostages, believed to be mostly men, may have died.
In the first phase of the ceasefire, 24 hostages and more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners have been freed. The initial phase saw Hamas free 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The next phase of the ceasefire is uncertain. It involves the release of all remaining hostages and an indefinite extension of the ceasefire. If no agreement is reached, the war could resume.
