Hamas released three other Israeli hostages on Saturday, while Israel published 369 Palestinian prisoners, extending a fragile cease-fire in the Gaza Strip which seemed to vacillate only days ago.
The hostages – Alexander Troufanov, 29, known as Sasha; IAIR HORN, 46; And Sagui Dekel -Chen, 36, one of the few Americans still held in Gaza – were significantly thinner and paler after spending 16 months in captivity. They had been removed from the Israeli border village of Nir Oz during the attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza.
But they did not appear as emaciated as the three hostages released last Saturday, whose state caused indignation and horror in Israel.
Palestinian activists once again used the exchange, the sixth made under the first phase of the ceasefire, to present a show intended to demonstrate that they are still dominating Gaza, despite the devastating bombing of Israel and the ‘Invasion of the soil in response to the 2023 attack.
Dozens of swirling fighters affiliated with Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic jihad forced Mr. Troufanov, Mr. Horn and Mr. Dekel-Chen to set up a scene in the southern city of Gaza of Khan Younis and to pronounce speeches in Hebrew, With portraits of Hamas from Hamas and Hamas the leaders on stage behind them.
On the stage, activists also posted photos of Matan Zangauker, an Israeli hostage still in captivity, and his mother, Einav Zangauker, who campaigns for his freedom. They were shown alongside a hourglass and words: “Time is exhausted”.
The activists, some wearing Israeli weapons, then gave the hourglass to Mr. Horn.
In a blow during the recent call of President Trump to the Palestinians to leave Gaza en mass, a banner on stage read “there is no migration except in Jerusalem”. Hamas – and a large part of the Arab world – have refused Mr. Trump’s proposal.
The exchange could maintain the ceasefire, at least for the moment. But the long -term future of the truce remains uncertain. The arrangement, which started at the end of January, should expire in early March unless Israel and Hamas accept an extension.
The first phase of the truce took months of arduous negotiation to be agreed, and there was no indication that Israel and Hamas began serious talks on the next step, which is supposed to include the end of the war, the total withdrawal of the Israeli Gaza forces and the release of remaining living hostages. More than 70 hostages – many of them presumed dead – remain in Gaza.
While the hostages were published on Saturday, hundreds of Israelis who had gathered in a place in Tel Aviv have applauded, agitated Israeli flags and shed tears of joy while they were looking at the transfer to a large screen of television.
The relief was a big change compared to the shock and the fury that broke out in Israel last Saturday when Hamas released three glove hostages and apparently badly nourished and forced them to thank their kidnappers. This time, the kidnappers did not cause the hostages to offer them thanks.
“Three pieces have returned to my heart,” said Doron Zexer, an ardent defender of the hostages. “Joy is now full.”
Viki Cohen, the mother of an Israeli soldier still detained in Gaza, said in an interview that the happiness of seeing more hostages released was tempered by anxiety and uncertainty.
“We are on crazy roller coaster,” said Cohen. Her son, Nimrod, is not among the hostages that should be released in the first phase of the ceasefire. “We do everything in our power to come back,” she said.
Palestinian prisoners who were released included 36 perpetuity sentences for attacks on the Israelis. They also included more than 300 gasians detained since the war broke out. Most of these detainees have not been officially accused of any crime and have often been detained above extensions for long periods.
Officials of Israeli prison made them wear fleece sweaters who wore a sentence in Arabic: “We will not forget or forgive.”
Israeli police also linked threatening messages around some of the prisoner’s wrists.
“The eternal nation will not forget,” read a message, an Arab adaptation of a well -known Hebrew sentence. “I continue my enemies and I seize them.”
Without appointing the parties, the International Committee of the Red Cross has raised objections on how the hostage versions and prisoners were carried out. The Red Cross acted as a neutral intermediary in ceasefire transfers.
“Despite what all transfers are made several times in a worthy and private manner, it is necessary to make all parties, including the mediators, to improve future transfers,” he said in a statement.
When 10 of the released Palestinian prisoners arrived in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank occupied by Israeli, they received jackets to cover the sweatshirts. Hassan Oweis, 47, former member of the Palestinian security services, was one of these prisoners. His family had not seen him outside the prison since his arrest in 2002, during an Israeli raid in the city of Jenin in the West Bank.
Oweis was then found guilty of several terrorist leaders, notably by encouraging two armed men who killed two Israeli civilians and wounded scores in northern Israel in November 2001, according to Israeli judicial archives. Mr. Oweis had denied the accusations, according to the files.
To celebrate his freedom, a crowd of sympathizers raised Mr. Oweis on their shoulders. “The first time we see him without bars,” said his son Shadi, 25, who was a young child when Mr. Oweis was arrested. “The most precious moment,” said Mr. Oweis’s mother Mariam.
But the atmosphere was also “painful and uncomfortable,” said Oweis, 75.
The Oweis family was moved from their homes to Jenin, where the Israeli army has increased an in -depth operation against what they said to be activists who plan to attack the Israelis. Thousands of Jenin residents were forced from their homes, because Israeli soldiers fought with Palestinian and demolished men of dozens of buildings.
A few days ago, the ceasefire seemed to risk collapsing when Hamas threatened to delay the release of the hostages. He accused Israel of having violated the truce agreement, including by not sending enough tents and other aids to Gaza.
Israel has threatened to regain war if Hamas has not given way. Trump intensified the threat, warning that all the remaining hostages were to be released at noon on Saturday or “all hell will break out”.
Friday, Israel and Hamas pointed out that the dispute had been resolved for the moment.
And Mr. Trump seemed to distance his ultimatum on Saturday, displaying on social networks that “Israel will now have to decide” how to manage the deadline. “The United States will support the decision they make!” He wrote.
Israeli leaders had not decisively kissed Mr. Trump’s ultimatum and said they were ready to continue to follow the terms of the first phase of the ceasefire.
Israel and Hamas were supposed to start negotiations on the second part of the agreement last week. But an lull in talks has aroused serious concerns about the future of the several floors agreement.
Reaching the second phase would probably require painful concessions on one side or both. Israel has promised not to end the war until the end of Hamas in Gaza. For Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, there could also be a political prize: his right -wing governance coalition could break if this vow is breaking.
For its part, Hamas especially refused to give up the control of Gaza and to send its leaders to exile. The group is also concerned that handing over the hostages, its most precious negotiation schools, removes its best insurance against a renewed Israeli invasion.
To support the ceasefire, Israel or Hamas should most likely turn your eyes. For the moment, none has done, leaving the future of the truce in the air.
Patrick Kingsley,, Lara Jakes And Michael Levenson Contributed reports.
