Gaza ceasefire holds as Hamas, Israel free prisoners and hostages – National [Video]

Hamas-led militants released three male Israeli hostages Saturday and Israeli forces freed hundreds of prisoners in return, in the latest indication that a fragile ceasefire that had teetered in recent days is holding.

Militants in the southern Gaza Strip paraded the three hostages — Iair Horn, 46, a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina; American-Israeli Sagui Dekel Chen, 36; and Russian-Israeli Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29 — before a crowd before releasing them. They were transported to Israel to be reunited with their families and to receive medical evaluation in a hospital.

All had been abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community that was hard-hit in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the conflict. They appeared pale and worn, but seemed in better physical condition than the three men released last Saturday, who emerged emaciated from 16 months of captivity.

A tense dispute had jeopardized the nearly four week-old truce in recent days and threatened …