René Taieb Journalist for Israel Actualités Digital
Hamas released three Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, February 15, in exchange for 369 prisoners held by Israel, marking the sixth exchange since the beginning of a truce that had nearly collapsed. In the meantime, the Israeli army announces that it is developing « attack plans » as hostage releases continue under this agreement with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
« While celebrating the return of each hostage, we do not forget our commitment to bring them all back. » We are making considerable efforts to achieve this while simultaneously preparing attack plans, » said General Herzi Halevi, Chief of Staff, in a military statement, without providing further details.
Sixth exchange since the beginning of the truce
Masked Palestinian fighters released three Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in exchange for 369 Palestinians held by Israel. This exchange constitutes the sixth since the beginning of the truce, which nearly broke this week.
The ceasefire agreement was put in place on January 19, after 15 months of devastating conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, a conflict triggered by the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.
After 498 days of detention, Sacha Trupanov, a 29-year-old Israeli-Russian, Yaïr Horn, a 46-year-old Israeli-Argentinian, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old Israeli-American, were released in Khan Younès.
René Taieb
Journalist for Israel Actualités Digital
