Yaïr Horn, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Alexandre (Sacha) Troufanov were removed in the Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023.
The identity of the three hostages of Hamas which must be released on Saturday is now known.
It is the Israeli-Argentin Yaïr Horn, 46, the Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, and Israeli-Russian Alexandre (Sacha) Troufanov, 29.
The three men were removed in the same Kibbutz hard hit during the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023 against Israel which sparked the war in Gaza.
In the words of the ceasefire, which started on January 21, Israel must release more than 300 Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli prisons in exchange for these hostages. This exchange will be the sixth since the entry into force of the ceasefire.
Until now, 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners have been released during the first phase of the truce. But the ceasefire seemed dangerously close to collapse in recent days.
Hamas said that it would delay the next release of hostages after accused Israel of not respecting the terms of the agreement by not allowing enough shelters, medical supplies, fuel and heavy equipment for Unblock the rubble in the Gaza Strip.
Israel, with the support of US President Donald Trump, had replied that he would be fighting on Saturday if the hostages were not released.
Who are the three hostages?
Yaïr Horn, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Sacha Troufanov were removed in the Kibbutz Nir Oz, where around 80 of the 400 residents were taken hostage during the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.
Yaïr Horn was removed with his brother, Eitan Horn, who stayed with him at that time. Eitan is still in captivity.
Sagui Dekel-Chen worked for the renovation of a bus when activists stormed the Kibbutz. His wife, Avital, seven months pregnant at the time, hid in a secure room with their two daughters. Avital has since given birth to a third girl while her husband was in captivity.
Sacha Troufanov was taken hostage with her grandmother Irena Tati, her mother Yelena (Lena) and her girlfriend Sapir Cohen. The three women were released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Sacha Troufanov’s father was killed in the October 7 attack.
