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Join on Telegram Rabat – Hamas released this morning in Gaza’s Khan Younes three Israeli hostages as part of the ceasefire signed with Israel.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) received the three Israeli captives, Alexander Trufanov, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Yair Horn, while Israel is expected to free 369 Palestinians later today.
The ICRC handed over the released hostages to the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), and they are on their way to Israel where they will undergo an initial medical check.
This is the sixth hostage swap as part of the Gaza ceasefire truce signed between Hamas and Israel which entered into effect on January 19.
The Israeli hostages spoke on a podium showing images of Jerusalem and al-Aqsa mosque in the background, with Hamas saying in a statement this is a message to Israel and its allies that these “are a red line.”
Following the handover of the Israeli hostages, the first group of 36 Palestinian prisoners was set free from Israel. Of the freed Palestinians, 24 will be deported to Egypt, while 8 others will return home to the occupied West Bank and 4 in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian group further noted that “the release of the sixth batch of enemy prisoners confirms that there is no way to release them except through negotiations and by adhering to the requirements of the ceasefire agreement.”
The statement further fortified Hamas’ firm rejection of US President Trump’s forced displacement plans for Gazans. “We say to the whole world: there is no migration except to Jerusalem.”
Today’s swap comes after Hamas put forward a statement citing Israel’s ceasefire violations, which include shooting at Palestinians, delaying Gazans’ return to the north, and obstructing crucial aid from entering the enclave. Due to a break of these terms, Hamas recently vowed to suspend hostages’ release “until further notice,” but seems to have delayed that decision.
Israel responded to Hamas’ accusation with its defense minister Israel Katz ordering the IOF to be prepared at the highest level for any possible scenario in Gaza.
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The developments came as the parties were due to hold the second round of talks on February 3, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed them in order to meet with Trump.
After this meeting, Trump released controversial statements saying that he plans for the US to “take over” Gaza and displace Palestinians to several countries, which was widely rejected and seen by analysts as an ethnic cleansing.
Hamas says it expects indirect negotiations with Israel to start next week on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal. The group’s official Taher al-Nunu said: “We expect the second phase of the ceasefire negotiations to begin early next week, and mediators are continuing discussions on this matter.”
However, Israeli media says that the negotiators sent by Netanyahu are simply “symbolic” with doubts that the occupation has any interest in a permanent ceasefire.
The first phase of the truce is set to include the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange of 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, while the second one will reportedly include the release of more Israeli hostages and a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
