Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have released the names of three hostages set to be released tomorrow as part of the ceasefire deal with Israel.
US-Israeli man Sagui Dekel Chen, Israeli man Iair Horn and Russian-Israeli man Alexander Trufanov will be released after more than 16 months in captivity in Gaza.
It comes days after Hamas threatened to delay the next release of Israeli hostages, accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations to allow tents and shelters into Gaza, among other alleged violations of the truce.
In response, Israel threatened to open ‘the gates of hell’ on the Palestinian militant group – with the blessing of Donald Trump.
The US President said earlier this week that while the decision ultimately rests on Israel’s shoulders, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday noon ‘I would say cancel [the ceasefire]… all bets are off and let hell break out’.
It now appears the shaky ceasefire will hold as Hamas prepares to release the hostages as planned.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has facilitated the ongoing hostage-prisoner swaps between Israel and Hamas, said today it was ‘very concerned’ about the condition of the remaining captives held in Gaza.
‘The latest release operations reinforce the urgent need for ICRC access to those held hostage. We remain very concerned about the conditions of the hostages,’ the Red Cross said in a statement on X.
‘We have consistently reiterated that release and transfer operations should be carried out in a dignified and safe manner.
‘The ICRC will continue our efforts to see all hostages released, until the last hostage is returned.’
Sagui Dekel-Chen, who holds US citizenship, is one of three captive set to be released from Gaza tomorrow
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, an American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza speaks during a press conference in Washington, DC, January 19, 2025
Palestinians watch as Hamas fighters deploy ahead of the hand over to the Red Cross of three Israeli hostages as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on January 19, the two sides have conducted five hostage-prisoner swaps.
So far, 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages have been released back to Israel in exchange for 566 Palestinian prisoners held in various detainment centres.
During the fifth exchange on February 8, Hamas forced three hostages to thank their captors in front of crowds of Palestinians gathered to witness their release in Gaza.
The emaciated appearance of the hostages shocked their families and the world, and prompted the ICRC to call on Hamas to ensure subsequent swaps are more private and dignified.
The next hostage-prisoner exchange is scheduled for tomorrow.
Speaking to Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot on Thursday, the mother of released hostage Liri Albag described how her daughter sometimes had nothing to eat for days, and ‘at times, they ate food meant for donkeys’.
She said there was ‘minimal hygiene’ in Gaza and recalled how her daughter’s captives taunted her with videos of the male hostages being beaten and abused.
‘Liri told us right at the beginning, “I came out of hell and we went through hell there, but the boys, the soldiers, are going through more than us”,’ Shira Albag said in a separate interview with Israel’s Channel 12 news.
Since the ceasefire began, militants have released 16 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails.
Hamas fighters secure an area before handing over three Israeli hostages to a Red Cross team in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, on Saturday on February 8, 2025
L to R, Orly Gilboa, Ira Ariev, Ayelet Levi and Shira Albag, mothers of released hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag pose for their photo in Tel Aviv Wednesday, Feb 12 2025
Benjamin Netanyahu (right) said Israel would resume ‘intense fighting’ in Gaza if Hamas did not return hostages by Saturday noon. Trump said that he believed Israel should ‘let hell break out’
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement is expected to last six weeks.
In total, 33 hostages should be released by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in return for roughly 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
But the agreement has been on the brink of collapse ever since it was signed, with both sides reportedly committing infringements of its terms.
Qatari, Egyptian and US mediators are working hard to ensure both sides remain faithful to the agreement.
Israel has taken issue with the way in which the hostage releases have been orchestrated, with several captives forced to make public displays of gratitude to Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross.
Conversely, Hamas has accused Israel of restricting the flow of aid into Gaza even after the ceasefire was agreed.
