Khan Younis (Gaza Strip), Feb 15 : Hamas-led militants released 3 male Israeli hostages Saturday and Israeli forces began releasing hundreds of prisoners in return, in the latest indication that a fragile ceasefire that has paused fighting in the Gaza Strip but had teetered in recent days, is holding. Militants in the southern Gaza Strip paraded the three hostages — Iair Horn, 46, a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina; American-Israeli Sagui Dekel Chen, 36; and Russian-Israeli Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29 — before a crowd before releasing them. All had been abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community that was hard-hit in the October 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. They appeared pale and worn, but seemed in better physical condition than the three men released last Saturday, who had emerged emaciated from 16 months of captivity. The truce that began nearly four weeks ago had been jeopardised in recent days by a tense dispute that threatened to renew the fighting. US President Donald Trump's controversial proposal to remove more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza and settle them elsewhere in the region has cast even more doubt on the future of the ceasefire. But Hamas said Thursday it would move ahead with the release of more hostages after talks with Egyptian and Qatari officials. The group said the mediators had pledged to “remove all hurdles” to ensure Israel would allow more tents, medical supplies and other essentials into Gaza. As with previous exchanges, the hostage release was heavily choreographed, with the captives made to walk onto a stage and speak into microphones before the crowd. Dozens of masked, armed Hamas fighters lined up near the stage festooned with Palestinian flags and banners of militant factions.

In Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, a huge cheer went up as the hostages were transferred to the Red Cross. “Iair, Sagui and Sasha are on their way home!” an announcer said. In return for the hostages' release, Israel began releasing 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 36 serving life sentences over deadly attacks. A bus carrying the first released prisoners arrived in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia and were greeted by a cheering crowd of relatives and supporters.  Some appeared gaunt, and the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said four were immediately taken for medical treatment. It is the sixth swap since the ceasefire took effect on January 19. Before Saturday, 21 hostages and over 730 Palestinian prisoners were freed during the first phase of the truce. Who are the hostages and prisoners being released? Horn was abducted along with his brother, Eitan Horn, who had been staying with him at the time. Eitan, 37, remains in captivity and is not on the list of hostages expected to be released in the ceasefire's first stage. Now, we can breathe a little. Our Iair is home after surviving hell in Gaza," his family said in a statement. “Now, we need to bring Eitan back so our family can truly breathe.” Dekel Chen had been working outside when militants stormed the kibbutz. His pregnant wife, Avital Dekel Chen, hid in a safe room with their two daughters. She gave birth to their third daughter two months later. Speaking to Israeli media Saturday, she said she was overwhelmed with happiness to see Sagui back in Israel, where he will meet his youngest daughter, Shachar, for the first time.

Troufanov, whose father was killed during the October 7 attack, was taken hostage along with his grandmother, mother and girlfriend. The three women were released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Troufanov was informed of his father's death after his release, shortly before being reunited with his family, who said they were “overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude” as he crossed into Israeli territory. Of the 369 Palestinians who were being released from Israeli prisons, 36 were serving life sentences, according to the Hamas-linked Prisoners' Information Office. Among the most prominent is Ahmed Barghouti, 48, a close aide of militant leader and iconic Palestinian political figure Marwan Barghouti. Israel sentenced Ahmed Barghouti to life on charges that he dispatched suicide bombers during the Second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising, in the early 2000s to carry out attacks that killed Israeli civilians. He was arrested alongside Marwan Barghouti in 2002. Concerns are high about the remaining hostages' condition Of the 251 people abducted during the Oct. 7 attack, 73 remain in Gaza, around half of whom are believed to be dead. Nearly all the remaining hostages are men, including Israeli soldiers. Concern has been growing about their condition, particularly after the release of three last Saturday, who emerged looking emaciated and frail. One of them, 65-year-old Keith Siegel, said Friday in a video message addressed to Trump that his captors treated him worse as the 15-month war intensified, kicking him, spitting on him and holding him without water or light.

The truce remains very fragile The ceasefire appeared dangerously close to collapse in recent days. Hamas had said it would delay the release of the hostages after accusing Israel of not adhering to their agreement by not allowing in enough shelters, medical supplies, fuel and heavy equipment for clearing rubble. Israel said it would resume fighting Saturday unless hostages were freed. While the immediate crisis may have been averted, the truce faces a much bigger challenge with the deal's first phase set to conclude in early March. There have not yet been substantive negotiations over the second phase, in which Hamas would release all remaining hostages in return for an end to the war. At its height, the fighting displaced 90 per cent of Gaza's population of 2.3 million. Hundreds of thousands have since returned to their homes as the ceasefire took hold, though many found only rubble, buried human remains and unexploded ordnance. The war has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Trump's plan increases uncertainty Trump's proposal to remove some 2 million Palestinians from Gaza and settle them elsewhere in the region has thrown the truce's future into further doubt.

The idea has been welcomed by Israel's government. But it has been strongly rejected by Palestinians and Arab countries. Human rights groups say it could amount to a war crime under international law. Trump has proposed that once the fighting ends, Israel would transfer control of Gaza to the United States, which would then redevelop it as the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right allies are already calling for a resumption of the war after the first phase with the goal of destroying Hamas and implementing Trump's plan. The militant group remains in control of the territory after surviving one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history. Hamas may be unwilling to release any more hostages if it believes the war will resume. The captives are among the only bargaining chips it has left. 

/Agencies