Hamas frees 3 Israeli hostages in exchange for 369 Palestinians prisoners

Israeli hostages Iair Horn, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Sasha (Alexander) Troufanov were freed in Gaza on Saturday and Israel began releasing some 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in exchange after mediators helped avert a ceasefire collapse.

The three Israelis were led onto a stage with Hamas personnel armed with automatic rifles standing on each side of them at the site in Khan Younis, live footage showed, before they were taken into Israel by Israeli forces.

Shortly afterward, the first bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners and detainees departed Israel’s Ofer jail in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, live footage showed. The bus arrived in Ramallah to a cheering crowd, some waving Palestinian flags.

The swap of the three Israelis for the 369 Palestinians eased fears that the ceasefire agreement could collapse before the end of the 42-day first stage of a ceasefire deal in effect since January 19.

In what has become known as Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, people broke into cheers and tears when they heard the Red Cross was on its way to deliver the three to Israeli military forces in the Gaza Strip.

They appeared relieved to see that the trio was in apparently better physical condition than another three freed last week who appeared emaciated and weak.