Three More Israeli Hostages Released by Hamas

Three more Israeli hostages were released by armed Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, marking the sixth exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners since the start of the ceasefire agreement.

Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanoua told the Anadolu news agency on Thursday that the group would release captives on Saturday if Israel adheres to the terms of the ceasefire. “The [Israeli] occupation has violated the agreement multiple times, whether by preventing the return of displaced people or blocking the entry of humanitarian aid,” he said. “If Israel does not adhere to the terms of the agreement, the prisoner exchange process will not take place.”

Nevertheless, the three hostages were released as scheduled, after nearly 500 days of being held captive by the militant group. The three men were forced to say a few words through a microphone to the crowd that had gathered there. They were then handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross to be transferred to the Israeli army.

In exchange for the three hostages, Israel must release 369 Palestinian prisoners.