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By: Fern Sidman
After 498 days of captivity, three Israeli men have finally regained their freedom. Their release on Saturday morning marks the sixth such exchange under the current ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, as reported by The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). This latest development highlights both the ongoing humanitarian crisis of hostages in Gaza and the complex political negotiations shaping the war’s trajectory.
According to the information provided in the JNS report, the hostages—Alexander (“Sasha”) Troufanov, 29, Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, and Iair Horn, 46—were transferred to Red Cross representatives in a staged event in Khan Yunis at 10 a.m., then handed over to the IDF and Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) by 10:30 a.m.. The men were immediately escorted back into Israeli territory for medical evaluations, marking the end of their painful and grueling ordeal at the hands of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
As reported by JNS, these three men were taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel, which resulted in the sadistic massacre of 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 hostages into Gaza. Their stories of survival and separation reflect the deep personal and national trauma inflicted by this ongoing war.
Alexander (“Sasha”) Troufanov, a dual Russian-Israeli citizen, was held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization. JNS reported that his family’s fate has been deeply intertwined with the events of October 7. His mother, Yelena, and grandmother, Irena, were released in November 2023 following a direct appeal by Russian President Vladimir Putin, while his girlfriend, Sapir Cohen, was freed under a separate ceasefire deal. However, his father, Vitaly, was killed during the Hamas-led massacre at Nir Oz.
Sagui Dekel-Chen, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was also taken from Nir Oz. His mother, Neomit, was initially kidnapped but managed to escape after being wounded in an Israeli Air Force strike on the terrorists transporting her toward Gaza, as indicated in the JNS report. Adding to the family’s heartbreak, Dekel-Chen’s third daughter, Shachar, was born while he was still in captivity, meaning he missed the first months of his child’s life.
Iair Horn, an Argentinian-Israeli, endured more than 16 months as a hostage. His family’s suffering continues, as his brother, Eitan Horn, was also kidnapped but remains in Gaza. The report on JNS noted that before his release, Iair was forced to speak about his brother on camera, as Hamas has repeatedly used hostages to create propaganda videos in an effort to manipulate public perception.
As part of the latest exchange agreement, Israel released 369 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, including 36 terrorists serving life sentences and 333 security detainees captured in Gaza since the war began, according to figures from the Palestinian Authority Prisoners Ministry, cited by JNS.
This latest exchange is part of Phase 1 of the ceasefire agreement, which began on January 19 and is set to expire on March 1. According to the information in the JNS report, ongoing negotiations seek to expand the deal into Phase 2 and 3, which could lead to further releases of hostages and prisoners. However, Hamas has claimed that eight of the 33 hostages slated for release under this agreement have already died in captivity—a chilling reminder of the urgency and stakes involved.
JNS also reported that since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, Israel has released 566 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 19 Israeli and 5 Thai hostages. By the end of Saturday, this number is expected to reach 935, marking one of the largest single-day releases of Palestinian detainees in years.
While these releases have sparked debate within Israel, they are part of an international effort to secure as many hostages as possible before negotiations stall or the war resumes at full intensity. With 73 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza, including 70 taken on October 7, the JNS report highlighted that the Israeli government faces immense pressure to keep the deal going while also ensuring national security and preventing future attacks.
As the JNS report noted, this is only the sixth round of exchanges under the ceasefire deal. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have publicly expressed skepticism that Hamas will continue to abide by any long-term agreements, especially as Israel continues its military operations against remaining Hamas strongholds.
Negotiations for Phases 2 and 3 of the ceasefire remain ongoing, but Hamas has not yet agreed to conditions that would see the release of all remaining hostages. Given that some captives are already confirmed dead, there is growing fear that time is running out for those who remain inside Gaza’s vast network of underground tunnels.
Also on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised President Trump’s leadership, saying the “reinforcement of IDF forces” combined with Trump’s “assertive stance” led to the release of the three Israeli hostages—despite Hamas refusing to budge earlier this week. He also thanked Trump for his “full support for Israel’s decisions regarding the Gaza Strip going forward.”
Horrifying Conditions Endured by the Three Hostages
Newly released accounts have shed horrifying light on the conditions endured by Sagui Dekel-Chen, Iair Horn, and Sasha Troufanov, three hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza. The details reveal a brutal and inhumane existence, marked by torture, isolation, and deprivation, exposing the systematic cruelty inflicted upon those kidnapped during Hamas’ October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel.
According to newly surfaced intelligence and testimony, the hostages were primarily held in Khan Yunis, a major Hamas stronghold in southern Gaza, located just a few hundred meters from Kibbutz Nir Oz, the very site where many were abducted. This proximity underscores the brazen impunity with which Hamas operated, keeping Israeli hostages mere minutes from their homes, while security forces conducted extensive operations to locate them.
One of the most shocking revelations concerns Sagui Dekel-Chen, who was briefly held inside a Gaza hospital in 2023. This reinforces previously documented evidence of Hamas exploiting medical facilities as operational bases—a clear violation of international humanitarian law. While inside the hospital, Dekel-Chen was likely subjected to interrogation, psychological abuse, and medical neglect, a tactic Hamas has used to shield itself from Israeli military action.
Throughout their captivity, Dekel-Chen, Horn, and Troufanov were subjected to extreme deprivation, given little food and forced to drink salt water—a form of intentional malnutrition and dehydration. Denying hostages access to clean drinking water and sufficient food is a violation of fundamental human rights, further emphasizing Hamas’ deliberate cruelty.
All three hostages were systematically interrogated and tortured by Hamas operatives, who sought intelligence information from their captives. The methods used remain largely undisclosed, but the pattern follows previous testimonies from released hostages, who reported enduring beatings and electric shocks, mock executions, forced stress positions, as well as psychological manipulation and threats against their families
By cutting them off from all media and outside communication, Hamas sought to break their will and prevent them from knowing any developments regarding their potential rescue or the broader conflict.
While Sagui and Iair were held together, alongside three other hostages, Sasha Troufanov spent almost his entire captivity in isolation—an especially cruel and psychologically devastating tactic. Prolonged isolation has been shown to cause severe mental distress, hallucinations, and an overwhelming sense of despair, making Sasha’s experience one of the most harrowing aspects of this captivity.
The overwhelming majority of their captivity was spent inside Hamas’ underground tunnel network, where conditions were inhumane and life-threatening. That translated into being kept in cramped, dark spaces with no natural light or fresh air as they endured extreme heat and suffocating humidity as well as lack of hygiene, leading to infections and illness and constant fear of airstrikes and collapsing tunnels.
For months, these hostages lived in complete physical and psychological darkness, an experience that survivors have described as akin to hell on earth.
Iair Horn was originally held alongside his brother, Eitan, before the two were forcibly separated by their captors. Before his release, Iair was coerced into speaking about his brother on camera, a clear propaganda tactic meant to manipulate both public perception and his mental state. Hamas has repeatedly forced hostages to record videos under duress, presenting false narratives of humane treatment, when in reality, they were enduring horrific abuse.
Perhaps one of the most grotesque revelations was that Hamas forced these hostages to write “letters of gratitude” to their captors—an attempt to rewrite the reality of their abuse and fabricate a false narrative of benevolence. These letters were likely intended for public relations purposes, as Hamas has a history of manipulating hostage statements to portray itself as merciful, despite the overwhelming evidence of its war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The horrors endured by Dekel-Chen, Horn, and Troufanov are just a glimpse into the unspeakable suffering still being inflicted on those who remain in Hamas captivity. Over 70 hostages are still being held, with many presumed to be in similar or worse conditions. The international community must act with urgency to ensure their immediate release, and Hamas must be held accountable for its heinous violations of human rights and international law.
As these harrowing new details emerge, the unwavering demand for justice, accountability, and the safe return of every hostage must remain a global priority.
