The families of Israeli hostages still held by the Hamas militant group have welcomed the “joyous news” that three men, all taken from the same kibbutz on October 7, 2023, are expected to be freed on Saturday.
Hamas-led militants released the names of the male hostages in the latest indication that the fragile ceasefire deal that had teetered in recent days will hold.
The Hostages Families Forum said on Friday in a statement that Iair Horn, 46, Sagui Dekel Chen, 36, and Sasha Troufanov, 29, are set to be freed after 498 days in Hamas captivity.
The news came after Hamas said on Thursday it would release the next three Israeli hostages as planned this weekend in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel, with the support of US President Donald Trump, has said it will resume fighting if the hostages are not freed – but did not immediately comment on the statement by Hamas.
Hamas had said it was going to delay the hostage release because Israel was not keeping up its side of the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas said Israel was not allowing enough shelters, medical supplies, fuel and heavy equipment for clearing rubble into Gaza, among other alleged violations of the truce.
The sides have carried out five swaps since the ceasefire began on January 19, freeing 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners so far during the first phase of the truce.
The war could resume if no agreement is reached on the more complicated second phase, which calls for the return of all remaining hostages captured in Hamas’ attack on October 7 and an indefinite extension of the truce.
Meanwhile, the Hamas-linked prisoners’ information office says that a total of 369 Palestinians jailed by Israel will be released on Saturday in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
It said that 36 of the Palestinians scheduled for release were serving life sentences.
The statement did not specify how many of them would be released into exile in Egypt ahead of deportation to other countries as part of the agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The rest of the 333 Palestinians were from Gaza, all arrested after Hamas’ attack on Israel that ignited the 15-month war in Gaza.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israel committed to release more than 1,000 Palestinians from Gaza detained during the Israeli invasion of the enclave on the condition that they had not participated in the October 7 attack.
The Palestinian Authority did not immediately announce the names of those set to be freed on Saturday.
