Israel-Gaza latest: Hamas hands over three hostages as 369 Palestinian prisoners to be released

The family of US-Israeli citizen Sagui Dekel-Chen have released a statement

“Our Sagui is home. A friend, son, partner and most importantly a father has returned. 498 days, almost 500 days, he was so far away and now he’s finally on Israeli soil, with us.

“In the coming hours, he will begin his rehabilitation process, he will meet his daughters Gali and Bar, and for the first time meet his little daughter, Shahar, who was born while he was in captivity. Our hearts ache for everything he missed, but now he’s here, unlike many others.

“It’s important for us to emphasize that there are many more families waiting for their loved ones, and many children waiting for their fathers.We did everything we could on all fronts to reach this moment, and we will continue to act until the last hostage returns home – this is our duty.”

Sagui Dekel-Chen is one of the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas today.

In January, we spoke to his father, Jonathan. Here’s Josh Marcus’ report:

The father of one of the approximately 100 hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas is still “in the dark” about the fate of his son, despite Israel and the militant group reaching a ceasefire and prisoner release deal to bring about the end of the brutal conflict.

Sagui Dekel-Chen was kidnapped from Nir Oz kibbutz during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that kicked off the conflict.

His father, Hebrew University of Jerusalem history professor Jonathan Dekel-Chen, told The Independent he still has very little information about the fate of his son.

“I’m a parent of a hostage who is completely in the dark,” he said. “We don’t have solid information about Sagui or any of the other hostages, who is alive or who is not.”

It looks like Hamas and Islamic Jihad tried to keep the crowds back for this hostage release, after previous scenes where crowds mobbed hostages as they were freed.

They created a wide area away from the stage where they have set up a sign reading “no migration except to Jerusalem” – likely a reference to President Trump’s ideas about displacing Gaza’s 2 million strong population.

This handover was a significant change to the previous two.

The release was far more calm and organised, with a large clearing in front of the stage as crowds were pushed back.

The hostages – Sasha Troufanov, Iair Horn and Sagui Dekel Chen – look in better health than last week’s releases. All three addressed the crowds with a microphone on stage.

Israeli forces have confirmed the handover, saying in a statement: “According to information communicated by the Red Cross, three hostages were transferred to them, and they are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip.”

A few exchanges ago, Arbel Yehoud was mobbed by hundreds of people as militants struggled to get her to the ICRC cars in scenes Israelis found horrifying.

All three men set to be released are on stage, addressing the crowds.

It appears to be Iair Horn, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Sasha Troufanov who were all abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, where some 80 of roughly 400 residents were taken hostage during the October 7 attack.

They are holding what appear to be gifts and certificates of their release – Sasha Troufanov, a Russian-Israeli, was the first to come out of the vehicle, who was being held by Islamic Jihad.

Three Israeli hostages are currently being freed from captivity in Gaza imminently.

They have been escorted onto a stage by Hamas fighters. They are US-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, Russian-Israeli Sasha (Alexander) Trufanov and Argentine-Israeli Iair Horn.

The Vatican’s lead diplomat criticised US president Donald Trump’s plan to forcibly transfer Palestinians from Gaza before a US takeover of the territory.

“No deportations, and this is one of the fundamental points,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, said at an event in Rome on Thursday.

“Whoever was born and has lived in Gaza must remain on their land,” he added according to the Vatican’s official news outlet.

Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday Tehran’s enemies may be able to strike the country’s nuclear centres but cannot deprive it or its ability to build new ones.

He made his comments after the Washington Post reported that US intelligence believes Israel is likely to launch a pre-emptive attack on Iran’s nuclear program by mid-year.