Palestinian militant groups in Gaza announced they will release three hostages— Iair Horn, U.S.-Israeli national Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Russian-Israeli Alexandre Sasha Troufanov—on Saturday as part of a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
The hostages were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants overran communities near the Gaza Strip. Horn’s brother, Eitan, remains in captivity. In return, Hamas stated that Israel is expected to release 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The announcement came after days of uncertainty over whether the 42-day ceasefire would hold, following mediation efforts by Egypt and Qatar to maintain the U.S.-backed truce.
Israel’s response to the list of hostages was unclear. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office initially stated that Israel “accepted” the list before issuing a revised statement saying it had “received” it.
“This was a mere factual description that does not reflect an Israeli comment on the issue,” the statement said.
Hamas had earlier threatened to halt hostage releases, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire by restricting humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. Israel denied the allegations, warning of a potential resumption of military operations.
Public outrage in Israel over the frail condition of previously released hostages and their public display in Gaza before being handed to Red Cross officials had intensified tensions ahead of the upcoming release.
As uncertainty persisted, the Israeli military said it was calling up reserve units and placing forces near the Gaza border on high alert for possible renewed combat.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the crisis, calling for an end to the ceasefire unless all hostages were released on Saturday.
Hamas agreed last month to release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a six-week ceasefire. The truce was intended to pave the way for negotiations on the release of remaining hostages, Israeli military withdrawals, and the potential end of the war.
However, Hamas accused Israel of blocking the delivery of essential supplies, including tens of thousands of tents and temporary shelters, leaving displaced civilians exposed to harsh winter conditions.
“No caravans, heavy equipment, or machinery have entered the Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing so far,” said Salama Marouf, head of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office. “We hope they will enter in the coming hours according to assurances from the relevant parties.”
The Israeli military agency COGAT reported that 4,200 humanitarian aid trucks had entered Gaza over the past week, carrying food, fuel, medical supplies, tents, and shelter materials.
Despite increased deliveries, international aid groups warn that the current aid flow remains insufficient to meet the needs of Gaza’s displaced population.
The war erupted following Hamas-led attacks on Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the taking of more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign has devastated Gaza, killing more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The offensive has left much of the territory in ruins, with most of its population displaced and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
As negotiations continue, the fate of remaining hostages and the fragile ceasefire remain uncertain.
