Abdelrahman
On Friday, Hamas announced the names of three additional hostages set to be released, indicating a positive step forward in overcoming a stalemate regarding the ceasefire with Israel. This development follows several days of tensions between the two parties.
The three individuals, identified as Alexander Troufanov, 29; Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36; and Iair Horn, 46, are scheduled to be freed on Saturday as part of a broader exchange agreement. Notably, Dekel-Chen is among the last American citizens remaining in Gaza.
The Israeli government has confirmed that Hamas has officially submitted the names of these hostages. While President Trump expressed desires for the release of all remaining hostages by Saturday, Israeli officials appear ready to adhere to the timeline previously established in the truce agreement.
In return for the release of these three men, Israel is poised to free over 360 Palestinian prisoners, the majority of whom are detainees from Gaza. Among these prisoners, thirty-six are serving life sentences, including Ahmed Barghouti, who has been convicted of planning attacks that resulted in the deaths of twelve Israelis.
The multistage ceasefire agreement finalized in January aims to halt the ongoing conflict in Gaza. It outlines an initial 42-day truce during which Hamas is expected to release at least 33 hostages in exchange for more than 1,500 Palestinian prisoners.
Earlier this week, Hamas threatened to suspend the release process, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the deal by deploying troops outside the ceasefire zones and failing to provide adequate shelter for the large number of displaced Palestinians. However, after mediatory efforts from Qatar and Egypt, Hamas announced on Thursday that it would proceed with the releases, contingent upon Israel honoring its obligations under the agreement.
