{"id":52884,"date":"2025-02-15T14:18:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-15T14:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/israeli-hostages-and-palestinian-inmates-freed-in-ceasefire-swap\/"},"modified":"2025-02-15T14:18:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-15T14:18:00","slug":"israeli-hostages-and-palestinian-inmates-freed-in-ceasefire-swap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=52884","title":{"rendered":"Israeli hostages and Palestinian inmates freed in ceasefire swap"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Reuters<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The Israeli hostages appeared before a crowd in Khan Younis before their release<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Hamas has freed three Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, in the latest swap under the ceasefire agreed by Israel and the militant group last month.<\/p>\n
The three hostages handed over on Saturday are American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, Argentinian-Israeli Yair Horn, 46, and Russian-Israeli Alexander Troufanov, 29.<\/p>\n
In return, 369 Palestinians held in Israeli jails were released.<\/p>\n
So far 19 hostages held in Gaza and over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners have been freed as part of the Gaza ceasefire that began on 19 January 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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By the end of the first six-week stage of the deal, 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners are expected to have been freed.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, in the sixth swap since last month, Israeli hostages were handed over in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n
Surrounded by heavily armed Hamas militants, the men briefly addressed a crowd of Palestinians before being transferred into Red Cross vehicles.<\/p>\n
They did not look as gaunt as the hostages freed a week earlier – their appearance had aroused anger in Israel and elsewhere.<\/p>\n
The three men were airlifted by military helicopters to a hospital in central Israel where they will undergo medical tests and be reunited with relatives.<\/p>\n
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, posting on social media, said the hostages had been “forced to endure” a “despicable and cynical ceremony”.<\/p>\n
In a social media post, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue to work with the US to “ensure that all hostages return to Israel soon”. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The majority of the freed Palestinians were taken to Gaza, although some were taken to the West Bank. In both areas, crowds gathered to welcome the former prisoners.<\/p>\n
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society told the BBC that five of those released in the West Bank city of Ramallah were taken straight to hospital.<\/p>\n
“They all have chronic illnesses,” said Mohammad Faqih, an official from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, adding that one man had a broken leg.<\/p>\n
Most of the 36 Palestinians serving life sentences will reportedly be deported to Egypt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Reuters<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Most of the former Palestinian prisoners were taken by bus to the Gaza Strip<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Earlier this week, Hamas threatened to delay the hostage release after accusing Israel of violating the terms of the agreement, something Israel denied. <\/p>\n
Israel, backed by US President Donald Trump, said “intense” fighting would resume unless the hostages were handed over.<\/p>\n
The latest releases mean that under the ceasefire, Hamas is due to free another 14 hostages. <\/p>\n
However Israel says eight are of them are dead, meaning six living Israelis are still expected to be returned in the first phase.<\/p>\n
A total of 141 hostages have now been freed, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals released as part of a previous deal between Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n
About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken back to Gaza as hostages when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023.<\/p>\n
This triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, the Hamas-run health ministry says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Reuters](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/646b\/live\/6bd58880-eb97-11ef-8fe8-b5452f195731.jpg.webp\")
Reuters<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"Reuters](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/45f6\/live\/6b3389e0-eb9c-11ef-96a8-0d3c74b6ba7d.jpg.webp\")
Reuters<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n