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Hostage exchange amid fragile ceasefire in Gaza
Hamas publicly displayed three Israeli hostages in Gaza before transferring them to the Red Cross under a ceasefire agreement that involves exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners. The hostages, Iair Horn (46), Sagui Dekel Chen (36), and Alexander Troufanov (29), were captured during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the conflict.
The ceasefire, now nearly four weeks old, faced collapse amid disputes over humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, Hamas agreed to proceed with the release following mediation by Egypt and Qatar, marking the sixth exchange since the truce began on January 19. In this phase, 21 hostages and over 730 Palestinian prisoners have been released.
The three hostages were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Horn was seized alongside his brother, who remains captive. Dekel Chen was taken during the kibbutz raid, while his family hid. Troufanov was captured with his relatives, who were freed in a prior exchange, but his father was killed during the attack.
Alongside the hostages’ release, Israel is set to free 369 Palestinian prisoners, including Ahmed Barghouti, an associate of Marwan Barghouti, a key figure in Palestinian politics.
Concerns grow for the remaining 73 hostages, especially after the recent release of three emaciated captives, including Keith Siegel, who described harsh treatment in captivity.
The ceasefire remains tenuous, with disputes over aid and accusations of violations by both sides. Additionally, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and redevelop the region has heightened tensions. Netanyahu’s government supports resuming the war, which could derail future hostage releases, as Hamas may withhold captives to maintain leverage.
