James Godwin Reporting
The Palestinian group Hamas released three more Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip as the sixth such exchange pushed ahead following days of tense negotiations that threatened to undo the precarious ceasefire.
The three captives – identified as American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, Russian-Israeli Alexander Sasha Trufanov, and Argentinian-Israeli Yair Horn – were released to members of the International Committee of the Red Cross during a brief ceremony on Saturday in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis.
All three were among those taken by Hamas following its October 7 attack on southern Israel.
Dekel-Chen, Trufanov and Horn were seen carrying certificates for their release and maps of Palestine. They are expected to be transported back to Israel for medical examinations before reuniting with their families.
With Saturday’s handover, the number of captives released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad has reached 25 since the ceasefire began on January 19.
Dozens of armed Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters guarded the square where the handover took place.
Hundreds of civilians, including women, children and the elderly, gathered behind the security cordon trying to witness the release.