Hamas freed three extra Israeli hostages on Saturday in a ceremony marked by among the identical provocative theatrics utilized by the Palestinian militants in earlier releases.
It was the sixth spherical of a tense sequence of hostage-for-prisoner exchanges which are a part of a 42-day cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, which went into impact final month. Total, Hamas agreed to launch 33 of the almost 100 individuals who have been captured on Oct. 7, 2023. In trade, Israel agreed to free greater than 1,000 Palestinians held in its jails and partially withdraw from Gaza.
Right here’s a better take a look at the three civilian male hostages, together with an Israeli American, who have been launched on Saturday:
Sagui Dekel-Chen
Mr. Dekel-Chen, an Israeli American who had performed for Israel’s nationwide basketball group, was 35 when he was taken from Nir Oz, a kibbutz in southern Israel near the Gaza border the place militants kidnapped greater than 70 folks within the Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7, 2023.
He’s a father of three; his youngest little one was born throughout his captivity. Mr. Dekel-Chen labored as nationwide coordinator for the British department of the Jewish Nationwide Fund and together with his spouse, transformed buses for brand new makes use of, reminiscent of for cellular lecture rooms.
Mr. Dekel-Chen’s household was lively in advocating a cease-fire deal. His father, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, a historical past professor at Hebrew College in Jerusalem, wrote an opinion piece for The New York Occasions essential of the Israeli authorities for not bringing dwelling the hostages.
In August, the professor instructed The Occasions that he and different members of the Nir Oz kibbutz wouldn’t take part in an official authorities ceremony then being deliberate to commemorate the Oct. 7 assault. He stated they have been “appalled by the concept of this authorities making a ceremony that will distract from their culpability.”
Mr. Dekel-Chen’s mom, Neomit Dekel-Chen, and a few neighbors have been additionally captured within the Oct. 7 assault. She escaped from an electrical cart that was heading towards Gaza when an Israeli navy helicopter shot on the militants, based on an account she gave to Israeli information media.
Iair Horn
Mr. Horn was 45 when he was kidnapped from Nir Oz together with considered one of his two brothers, Eitan, who was visiting for the weekend. Iair Horn labored in development and his brother labored as a trainer.
Iair Horn was born in Israel and raised in Argentina. He returned to Israel as an grownup alongside together with his dad and mom and siblings, based on their mom, Ruth Strom. They’re half of a giant Argentine neighborhood on the kibbutz, together with different households awaiting the return of hostages.
Eitan Horn has not been slated for launch within the first section of the cease-fire deal, and Ms. Strom has stated she was anxious that Iair would have to depart his brother behind.
Their father, Itzik Horn, stated in December 2023, after the Israeli navy mistakenly shot and killed three hostages who had fled their captors in Gaza, that Israel should attain a deal even when it means liberating prisoners designated as terrorists.
“An important factor isn’t to defeat Hamas,” he stated in an interview. “The one victory right here is to carry again all of the hostages.”
Sasha Troufanov
Mr. Troufanov, a Russian Israeli twin citizen who was 27 when he was captured, was visiting household in Nir Oz on Oct. 7. His father was killed, and his mom, grandmother and girlfriend have been taken hostage however launched throughout an earlier cease-fire, in November 2023.
Mr. Troufanov, who lived together with his girlfriend in a Tel Aviv suburb and labored at a firm owned by Amazon, was seen in a video launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad — the second strongest militant group in Gaza after Hamas — in November of final 12 months. He appeared weary, with an untrimmed beard and luggage beneath his eyes, and spoke of a scarcity of meals and water.
In October, Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, instructed Russia As we speak that he had spoken to Islamic Jihad about Mr. Troufanov, and that Hamas would give precedence to him in any trade of hostages and Palestinian prisoners “in honor” of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
