American among 3 hostages released by Hamas in exchange of 369 Palestinian prisoners
PTC News Desk: Hamas on Saturday released three more hostages including an American as part of Gaza truce deal. The hostages are released after 498 days after Egyptian and Qatari mediators put in extra efforts to mitigate the standoff between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier, both the parties threatened to end the Gaza ceasefire deal over escalation of the conflict. The three hostages - Iair Horn, 46, Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, and Sasha (Alexander) Troufanov, 29, - were handed over to the Red Cross after they were led onto a stage in Khan Younis.
"The three returning hostages are currently being accompanied by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) and the ISA (Israel Security Agency) forces on their return to Israeli territory, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment," the IDF tweeted.
The hostages were released in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, a swap that helped alleviate concerns about the potential collapse of the agreement before the 42-day ceasefire ended.
The released hostages appeared to be in better condition and seemed relieved, unlike the other three captives, who appeared frail and weak, prompting anger among thousands of Israelis. However, Horn, one of the three hostages, was visibly thinner compared to his photo on the poster, where he appeared healthy.
- PTC NEWS
