In a tense and closely watched exchange, Hamas has released three more Israeli hostages in return for 369 Palestinian prisoners.
The swap took place despite growing fears that the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas might collapse before the deal could be completed.
U.S. President Donald Trump had issued a stark warning earlier in the week, saying that “hell” would break loose if Hamas did not release all remaining hostages by noon on Saturday.
The two sides have been locked in a war of words, with each blaming the other for violations of the ceasefire agreement established on January 19.
Despite these tensions, both Israel and Hamas signaled on Friday that the scheduled exchange would move forward.
Hostages Released After Months in Captivity
The three hostages freed by Hamas were identified as Sagui Dekel-Chen, who holds dual Israeli-American citizenship, Sasha Trupanov, an Israeli-Russian citizen, and Yair Horn, who also has Argentinian nationality.
These individuals had been held in Gaza since Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The exchange process unfolded under tight security, with Hamas and Islamic Jihad deploying around 200 fighters for the handover ceremony.
The event took place in Khan Yunis, a major city in southern Gaza, where militants gathered around a stage marked with the insignia of Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, an advocacy group, reported that Israel was releasing 369 detainees as part of the deal.
Among them, 333 were said to be from Gaza and had been arrested after the October 7 attack. Of the total, 24 prisoners were expected to be deported.
Concerns Over Hostage and Prisoner Treatment
The treatment of both hostages and prisoners has been a major point of concern.
Many of the previously released Israeli hostages appeared severely malnourished, raising alarms about the conditions they endured while in captivity.
Keith Siegel, an Israeli-American who was freed in an earlier exchange, described experiencing “starvation and torture, both physically and emotionally.”
On the other side, some of the Palestinian prisoners released in past exchanges required medical attention upon their return.
These reports have only fueled tensions further, with each side accusing the other of mistreating detainees.
Diplomatic Maneuvering and the Future of the Ceasefire
Hamas has suggested that discussions for the second phase of the ceasefire could begin as early as next week. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, representing one of the key mediating countries, is expected to visit Israel on Saturday for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the ongoing truce.
Arab nations have also stepped in, voicing their opposition to a controversial proposal put forward by President Trump.
His plan, which suggests relocating Gaza’s population of over two million people to Egypt or Jordan, has been met with widespread rejection.
The issue is set to be a major topic of discussion at a summit in Saudi Arabia, where leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates will convene.
Additionally, the Arab League is scheduled to hold further discussions in Cairo on February 27, focusing on the humanitarian and political dimensions of the crisis.
A War That Shows No Signs of Ending
Since the October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people—mostly civilians—according to Israeli reports, the conflict has only escalated.
Hamas initially took 251 hostages, with 73 still believed to be in Gaza.
Israeli military sources claim that at least 35 of them have already died.
In response to the attack, Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza.
The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations, reports that at least 48,239 people have been killed in Israeli operations, the majority of them civilians.
With each exchange and ceasefire negotiation, hopes rise for a path to peace—but just as quickly, tensions threaten to unravel any progress made.
The world now watches to see whether upcoming negotiations will lead to a lasting resolution or if the cycle of violence will continue.