Israel-Hamas ceasefire live updates: 3 hostages set free in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians
NBC7 days ago
Hamas Frees Three More Hostages as Cease-Fire Deal Holds
Above: Israeli hostages Alexander Troufanov, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Yair Horn were released in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on Feb. 15, 2025. Image copyright: Ali Jadallah/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
Three Israeli hostages — Sagui Dekel-Chen (36), Alexander Troufanov (29), and Yair Horn (46) — were released by Hamas on Saturday in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners, marking the sixth exchange under the current cease-fire agreement.
Israel freed 369 Palestinian detainees, including 36 serving life sentences and 333 Gazans arrested during the recent conflict, making it the largest release of Gaza detainees since the cease-fire began.
Dekel-Chen is a dual US-Israeli citizen, Trufanov is a dual Russian-Israeli citizen, and Horn is a dual Argentinian-Israeli citizen. All three were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Though Hamas, in many cases, was the main obstacle to achieving an end to this terrible war, the US is proud of its role in mediating. With a deal agreed upon, the hostages will return home and Israel will be more secure. Nonetheless, the implementation of the agreement must be done correctly.
Pro-Israel narrative
The staged release ceremony, complete with propaganda displays and forced statements from hostages, reveals Hamas' continued exploitation of the situation for political gain. The group's threats to delay releases and demands for additional concessions show their attempts to manipulate the cease-fire terms.
Pro-Palestine narrative
While the media has spent a ludicrous amount of time criticizing the release of hostages from Gaza, freed Palestinian prisoners show clear signs of torture and poor treatment. Palestinians are starved and beaten while in Israeli detention, yet this gets almost no media attention. Likewise, as Netanyahu works tirelessly to find any loophole to sabotage the cease-fire, the media remains silent.