Photo: Sasha Trufanov, Yair Horn, Sagui Dekel Chen
On Saturday, 17 February, the radical groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad will release three Israeli hostages, including a US citizen. This was officially announced by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The released hostages will be Sagui Dekel Chen, Sasha Trufanov and Yair Horn. Initially, the Israeli side confirmed the receipt of the list, but later stated that it had not yet been approved, calling it a “typing error”.
The great exchange
Hamas said that as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement, Israel would release 369 Palestinian prisoners, including 36 serving life sentences.
The Palestinian group Islamic Jihad separately said it would also release one of the hostages on Saturday.
Reaction of the hostages’ families
The Hostage Families Forum welcomed the news, but stressed the need for the immediate return of all hostages. “The shocking footage of the rescued hostages and the latest life signals show that time is running out,” the Forum said.
The relatives of the prisoners demand that the Israeli authorities urgently conclude a full-fledged agreement without delays and gaps, which will guarantee the return home of both the living hostages and the dead for proper burial.
The situation remains tense and negotiations are ongoing.
