3 Israeli Hostages Freed From Gaza as Ceasefire Holds

Israel Begins Releasing 369 Palestinian Prisoners and Detainees in Exchange

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CAIRO/JERUSALEM - Palestinian Hamas militants released Israeli hostages Iair Horn, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Sasha Troufanov in Gaza on Feb 15, and Israel began freeing some 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in exchange, after mediators helped avert a ceasefire collapse.

The three Israelis were led onto a stage with the militants armed with automatic rifles standing on each side of them at a site in Khan Younis, live footage showed, before they were taken into Israel by Israeli forces.

Shortly afterwards, the first bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners and detainees departed Israel's Ofer jail in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, live footage showed. The bus arrived in Ramallah to a cheering crowd, some waving Palestinian flags.

"We didn't expect to be freed, but God is great, God set us free," said 70-year-old Musa Nawarwa from the West Bank town of Bethlehem, who was serving two life terms for killings of Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. He is a former commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militant group.

The Argentina-born Mr. Horn, 46, was taken captive together with his younger brother Eitan. Mr. Horn appeared to have lost considerable weight in captivity.