Hamas has declared that three hostages, among them US-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, are scheduled to be freed on Saturday. The militant group had initially halted the release process, accusing Israel of violating agreed ceasefire conditions by delaying the return of Palestinians from northern Gaza, carrying out strikes throughout the territory, and obstructing humanitarian aid entry.
In response to stern warnings from US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas reversed its decision and confirmed that the planned release would proceed. Alongside Mr. Dekel-Chen, Iair Horn and Russian-Israeli Sasha (Alexander) Trufanov are also set to be liberated.
The hostages were taken during the incident on October 7 at the Nir Oz kibbutz, and this development follows previous releases that have seen 16 Israeli hostages freed since the ceasefire commenced on January 19. Meanwhile, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, a history professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, had earlier voiced concern over the uncertain fate of his son.
10 Comments
Comandante
“The decision was forced by threats, not genuine humanitarian concern. This whole process is deeply flawed.”
Bella Ciao
“It’s a delicate balancing act, but the focus on saving human lives should always be our priority.”
Muchacha
“This hostage release should be seen as a win for those caught in tragic circumstances—every person matters.”
Michelangelo
“Using hostages to force political concessions is reprehensible. No one should justify such acts.”
Raphael
“Why should we reward terrorists for cross-border provocations? This hostage release is a dangerous precedent.”
Muchacho
“This move only emboldens Hamas. It’s wrong to give in to organizations that break international norms.”
ZmeeLove
“It’s disturbing to see a militant group playing politics with human lives. This isn’t a victory—it’s extortion.”
Habibi
“While any release of hostages is good news, it doesn’t erase the fact that they were taken as collateral in a war.”
Comandante
“Despite pressure from both sides, it’s encouraging that we’re seeing progress in hostage negotiations.”
ZmeeLove
“It's heartening to see that diplomacy can work when high-level leaders intervene for humanitarian reasons.”