Israel and Hamas exchange prisoners

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on February 15 released three more Israeli hostages — Yair Horn, Sagui Dekel Chen, and Sasha (Alexander) Trufanov.

Israel, in turn, released about 369 Palestinian prisoners from prisons.

According to Reuters, Hamas officials brought the three hostages onto a stage in Khan Yunis, where armed militants stood on either side of them, before handing them over to the Israeli side.

Shortly after the release of the three prisoners, buses carrying freed Palestinian prisoners and detainees left the Israeli Ofer prison in the West Bank.

Some of the Palestinians were serving long prison terms for their involvement in suicide bombings and other attacks that killed dozens of Israelis during the Palestinian uprising of 2000, the second intifada. Others were imprisoned for killing Israeli soldiers in the West Bank.

Recall that during the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, which began on January 19, Hamas gradually released Israeli hostages, but on February 10, the group announced that it would no longer do so, accusing Israel of violating the agreement.