Hamas defies Trump’s warnings, releases only three hostages

Hamas defies Trumps warnings, releases only three Israeli hostages — Hamas Islamist militants parade Israeli hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen on a stage before handing him over to a Red Cross team in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Israel, on February 15, 2025. Photo: AFP

GAZA,— Hamas released three Israeli hostages in Gaza on Saturday, defying a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that if all remaining Israeli captives were not returned by noon, he would push for the cancellation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and allow “all hell to break loose.”

The freed hostages, identified as Iair Horn, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Sasha (Alexander) Troufanov, were handed over in Khan Younis under the supervision of mediators before being transferred into Israeli custody. Live footage showed them standing on a stage surrounded by armed Hamas Islamist militants before their departure.

Shortly after the release, Israel began freeing 369 prisoners and detainees from Gaza and West Bank as part of the exchange. The first group left Israel’s Ofer prison in the West Bank and arrived in Ramallah to a cheering crowd waving the Arab flags.

The exchange came amid fears that the ceasefire, in place since January 19, could collapse before the end of its 42-day initial phase. In Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, families and supporters of those still held in Gaza erupted into cheers upon learning that the Red Cross was escorting the three captives to Israeli forces.

The hostages appeared in better physical condition than three others freed last week, who emerged from captivity visibly weak and malnourished. Residents near the Gaza border lined the roads, waving Israeli flags as the freed hostages were transported back into the country.

Horn, 46, was abducted alongside his younger brother Eitan from Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas’s October 7 attack. Dekel-Chen, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was taken from the same kibbutz after leaving his family in a safe room to fight off Hamas gunmen. Troufanov was kidnapped along with his mother, grandmother, and girlfriend, who were released in a previous truce. His father was killed in the attack.

Hostages from left: Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, Israeli-Argentinian hostage Yair Horn and Israeli-Russian Sasha Trupanov stand on stage next to Islamist Hamas militants during their handover over to a Red Cross team in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip , Israel, February 15, 2025. Photo: AFP

At the handover site in Khan Younis, Hamas militants forced the hostages to make brief statements in Hebrew. One of them, Horn, was presented with an hourglass and a photo of another hostage still in captivity, along with a message reading, “Time is running out.”

Hamas Islamist fighters at the site carried rifles that they said were taken from Israeli forces during the October 7 assault. The attack on Israeli communities that day resulted in about 1,200 deaths, according to Israeli officials, and 251 hostages being taken into Gaza.

So far, 19 Israeli and five Thai hostages have been freed under the current ceasefire deal. An estimated 73 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, with Israeli authorities declaring about half of them dead in absentia.

Hamas had previously threatened to halt further hostage releases, accusing Israel of violating the truce by blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza. In response, Israel placed its military on high alert and began recalling reservists.

The mistreatment of hostages, including reports of abuse and extreme malnutrition, has sparked protests across Israel, with demonstrators calling for the government to uphold the ceasefire to ensure more hostages are returned.

In a move that appeared to counter allegations of mistreatment, the militant group Islamic Jihad, which held Troufanov, released a video on Friday showing him fishing and eating on a Gaza beach.

Meanwhile, the fate of the ceasefire remains uncertain, complicated by Trump’s recent remarks suggesting Gazans should be permanently relocated from Gaza and the territory handed over to the U.S. for redevelopment. His comments were rejected by Gaza and West Bank leaders, Arab states, and Western allies.

Trump issued his warning on Monday, stating that if all hostages were not returned by Saturday, he would advocate for ending the truce and resuming full-scale military operations.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas had agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages—primarily women, children, and elderly or wounded men—in exchange for hundreds of Arab prisoners and detainees. In return, Israeli forces were to withdraw from certain areas in Gaza.

The truce was designed as a stepping stone for further negotiations aimed at securing the release of all captives, leading to a final end to the conflict and the reconstruction of Gaza. The enclave remains largely in ruins, with shortages of food, water, and electricity.

Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after the October 7 attack. The Israeli army says it has killed around 15,000 Hamas Islamist militants in the ongoing military operation.

(With files from Reuters)