Gaza: Israel to free 369 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday (NGO)

Friday 14 March 2025 - 09:10

By: Zahouani Ilham

Gaza: Israel to free 369 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday (NGO)

Israel is set to release 369 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday in exchange for three hostages held in Gaza since Hamas launched its attack on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

Abdallah Zeghari, the president of the organization, confirmed that the exchange will include 36 prisoners serving life sentences, 24 of whom will be expelled, along with 333 detainees from Gaza arrested after October 7.

This marks the sixth exchange under the ceasefire agreement, following days of uncertainty regarding the truce's continuation. Both Hamas and Israel confirmed that three Israeli men would be released after 16 months of captivity.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit Israel on Saturday evening for diplomatic discussions, including a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The ceasefire, in effect since January 19, faced strain throughout the week as both sides accused each other of violations. Meanwhile, a summit of five Arab nations is scheduled for February 20 in Riyadh to discuss the future of Gaza amid concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal for controlling the Palestinian territory and relocating its population to Egypt and Jordan.

The three hostages set for release are Sacha Trupanov, a 29-year-old Israeli-Russian; Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old Israeli-American; and Yair Horn, a 46-year-old Israeli-Argentine. They were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 attack that triggered the Gaza war. Out of the 251 individuals taken to Gaza, 73 remain in captivity, including at least 35 who are presumed dead, according to the Israeli military.

The conditions of the released hostages are expected to be closely examined. Keith Siegel, a former captive freed on February 1, described his experience as "unimaginable," recounting instances of starvation, torture, and extreme mistreatment.

The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed deep concern over the hostages' living conditions, calling for urgent access. On February 8, Hamas handed over three physically weakened hostages to the Red Cross in a move that sparked outrage in Israel.

In response, seven Palestinian detainees released by Israel were hospitalized in the occupied West Bank due to alleged mistreatment, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

Egypt and Qatar mediated negotiations this week to ensure the continuation of the prisoner exchanges after threats from Hamas to suspend them and warnings from Israel to resume hostilities.

The ceasefire, which began after 15 months of conflict, initially planned to last 42 days. So far, it has resulted in the release of 16 Israeli hostages in exchange for 765 Palestinian prisoners. The first phase of the agreement aims to free a total of 33 hostages and 1,900 detainees.