Sixth Gaza hostage-prisoner swap set to begin

Red Cross vehicles have arrived at the arena in Khan Younis, where Hamas are set to release three male hostages today.

Video from the scene showed excited civilians racing to grab a photo of the convoy as it weaved its way through the crowds into the square, some of them scrambling on top of cars to capture the moment.

The three cars have parked but nobody has emerged from the vehicles. Hamas vehicles carrying the hostages have not arrived yet.

Scores of fighters from the Al-Qassam and Saraya al-Quds battalions have lined up by the stage where today’s hostage release is expected to take place today They holding weapons in what has become a familiar display of force by Hamas and other militants at hostage releases.

Hundreds of civilians have also gathered round to watch today’s handover, where Sagui Dekel-Chen, Sasha Alexander Troufanov and Iair Horn, are set to be released.

As with previous releases, Hamas have set up Palestinian flags and banners of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the handover square. a giant posted to the left of the stage appears to show the final moments of former Hamas military chief, Yahya Sinwar, sitting in a red armchair in the room where he was killed in October.

A stage in the Gaza city of Khan Younis set up by Hamas ahead of the planned hostage release has one poster that reads “no migration except to Jerusalem.”

President Donald Trump sparked controversy when he said that the United States “will take over the Gaza Strip” for development. Trump has further said that Palestinians would be resettled outside the Gaza Strip under his plan.

In an interview that aired Monday on Fox News, Trump was asked Palestinians would have the right to return to the land. Trump said, “No, they wouldn’t because they’re going to have much better housing, much better.”

His comments prompted a backlash and skepticism from the leaders of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and others.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Commission says that 369 prisoners held by Israel will be released today as part of the release of three hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

The commission said that the vast majority, 333, were detained from Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The rest include 29 from the West Bank, and seven from Jerusalem and its suburbs.

The releases today mark the sixth exchange under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas will free three hostages — Sagui Dekel-Chen, Sasha Alexander Troufanov and Iair Horn — today, a spokesperson for the militant group said Friday.

Abu Obaida, a spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, Al Qassam Brigades, told NBC News on Friday that Hamas will release the three hostages according to the terms of the ceasefire deal it brokered with Israel on Jan. 19.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that Israel had “received” the list of names from Hamas in an official statement Friday.

Dekel-Chen, 36, is an American Israeli who refurbished old buses into mobile tech classrooms for underserved children. He was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, where he was living with his wife and their two daughters.

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