On Saturday, Hamas released three more Israeli hostages while Israel released 369 Palestinian prisoners, extending the fragile interruption of the fire in Gaza’s belt, which seemed to be just a few days ago.
Hostages – Alexander Troufanov, 29, known as Sasha; IAIR ROG, 46; and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, one of the few Americans who were still in Gaza-they were noticeably thinner and pale after spending 16 months in captivity. They were abducted from the Israeli border village of Nir Oz during the attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which lit a war in Gaza.
But they did not appear so tormented as three hostages posted last Saturday, whose condition prompted anger and horror in Israel.
Palestinian militants once again used an exchange, sixths performed in the first phase of the appearance, to set up a play intended for showing that Gazi still dominate, despite the devastating Israeli devastating bombing and invasion to Earth in response to the 2023 attack.
Dozens of fighters engaged in weapons associated with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad forced Mr. Troufan, Mr. Horn and Mr. Dekel-Chan to become a stage in southern Gazi, the City of Khan Younis and gave speeches in Hebrew, with the portraits of Hamas leader on stage behind them.
On stage, the militants also featured photos of Matan Zangauker, an Israeli hostage still in captivity, and his mother Einva Zangauker, who is advocating for her freedom. They are shown by the clock and the words: “The time is expired.”
The militants, some who wore the Israeli weapon, later gave the hour to Mr. Horn.
In the recent invitation of President Trump to leave Palestinians massively Gaza, the inscription on stage reads: “There is no migration except in Jerusalem.” Hamas – and much of the Arab world – broke the proposal of Mr. Trump.
The exchange could endure cease-fireAt least for now. But the long -term future of the tribute remains uncertain. The arrangement, which began at the end of January, should expire in early March unless Israel and Hamas agree to extend.
The first phase of the ceasefire was supposed to agree on months of strenuous negotiations, and there are few indications that Israel and Hamas started serious conversations about the next phase, which should include the end of the war, the complete withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of the remaining living hostages. More than 70 hostages – many of which assumed they were dead – stay in Gaza.
As the hostages were released on Saturday, hundreds of Israelites who gathered in Tel Aviv Square cheered, waved to Israeli flags and shed tears of joy as they watched the handover on a large television screen.
The release was a big change in shock and anger that broke out in Israel last Saturday when Hamas released three handles and apparently malnourished hostages and forced them to thank their abductors. This time, the kidnappers did not give hostage to offer them thanks.
“Three works have returned to my heart,” said Doron Zexer, a prominent hostage advocate. “Joy is full now.”
Viki Cohen, the mother of an Israeli soldier, still trapped in Gaza, she said in an interview that she was lucky when she saw more hostages alleged with anxiety and uncertainty.
“We’re on a crazy roll,” Mrs. Cohen said. Her son Nimrod is not among the hostages that are expected to be released in the first phase of the appearance. “We’re doing everything in our power to come back,” she said.
The Palestinian prisoners who were released included 36, serving their life’s penalties for attacking the Israelis. They also included more than 300 Gazans detained since the war broke out. Most of these detainees have not been formally accused of any crime and have often been held by a non -commissioned for a long time.
Israeli prison officials forced them to carry the ducxes that carried the phrase in Arabic: “We will neither forget nor forgive.”
Israeli prison officers also tied threatening messages around some of the prisoner’s joints.
“The eternal nation will not forget,” read one message, the Arab adaptation of the well -known Hebrew phrase. “I deal with my enemies and catch them.”
Without the appointment of the parties, the Red Cross International Committee presented complaints about how to release hostages and detainees. The Red Cross acted as a neutral intermediary in the transfer to interrupt fire.
“Despite repeatedly calling for all transfers to make themselves in a dignified and private way, they are increasingly having to do all sides, including mediators, in order to improve future transfers,” the statement said.
When 10 liberated Palestinian prisoners arrived in the city of Ramallah on the west coast on the west coast, their jackets were handed to cover the duxes. Hassan Dueis, 47, a former member of Palestinian security services, was one of these prisoners. The family did not see him outside the prison since he was arrested in 2002, during the Israeli raid in the city of the western coast of Jenin.
Mr. Oweis was later convicted of several points of terrorism, including adherence to two weapons that are killed two Israeli civilians and the wounded results in North Israel in November 2001, according to Israeli court records. Mr Oweis denied the charges, according to the records.
In order to celebrate his freedom, the crowd of benefactors raised Mr. Oweis to their shoulders. “The first time we see him without bars,” said his son Shadi, 25 years, who was a child when Mr. Dueis was arrested. “The most precious moment,” said Mr. Oweis’s mother, Mariam.
But the mood was also “painful and uncomfortable,” said Mrs. Dueis, 75.
The Oweis family was displaced from their home in Jenin, where the Israeli army sets up an extensive operation against what the militants planned to attack the Israelites. Thousands of Jenin’s residents are forced from their homes as Israeli soldiers fought against Palestinian armed people and demolished many buildings.
A few days ago, it seemed that the interruption of the fire was threatened when Hamas threatened to delay the release of hostages. He accused Israel of violating an agreement on a ceasefire, including not sending enough tents and other help in Gaza.
Israel threatened to continue the war if Hamas had not given up. Mr. Trump escalated the threat, warning that all the remaining hostages were to be released by noon or “all hell would break out.”
By Friday, Israel and Hamas signaled that the dispute has been resolved for now.
And on Saturday, Mr. Trump seemed to be distant from his ultimatum, posting on social media that “Israel would now have to decide” how to deal with the deadline. “The United States will support the decision they make!” He wrote.
Israeli leaders did not decisively accept Mr. Trump’s ultimatum and stated that they were ready to continue to follow the conditions of the first phase of the appearance.
Israel and Hamas were supposed to start negotiations on the second part of the agreement last week. However, in the conversations, the spite of the talks has been serious concern for the future of the multiple agreement.
Reaching the second phase would probably require painful concessions on one side or both sides. Israel vowed that he would not end the war until the end of Hamas’s reign in Gaza. For Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, there could also be a political price: his right -wing ruling coalition could be broken if he broke that vow.
For his part, Hamas mostly refused to give up control over Gaza and send his leaders to exile. The group also worries that the lecture of hostages, the most respected negotiating chips, would eliminate their best insurance against the renewed Israeli invasion.
In order to maintain a dedication fire, Israel or Hamas would most likely have to blink. For now, it has not done so, leaving the future of the ceasefire up in the air.
Patrick Kingsley,, Lara Jakes and Michael Levenson contribute to reporting.
