Three Israeli hostages are freed by Hamas as Israel releases 369 Palestinian prisoners in exchange. The sixth swap of the ceasefire comes after there were fears the deal could collapse this week. Follow updates in this live page.
Saturday 15 February 2025 20:34, UK
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Three Israeli hostages freed as 369 Palestinian prisoners released
Four Palestinian prisoners taken to hospital in ‘critical condition’
Israeli officials say no released prisoners in critical condition
Sixth swap of ceasefire deal comes on week where agreement was in jeopardy
Watch:Moment three Israeli hostages released
Who are the freed hostages?
What do we know about the Palestinian prisoners?
Explained: The stages of the ceasefire
Live updates by Lauren Russell
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Tel Aviv for his first visit to the Middle East.
It comes as part of his engagements with senior officials to promote US interests in advancing regional cooperation, stability and peace, the US Embassy said.
From Israel, Rubio will travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Mike Waltz, the US national security adviser, has praised the release of American-Israeli Sagui Dekel Chen.
The 36-year-old was one of three hostages released today by Hamas.
Commenting on a video of Chen being reunited with his wife and parents, Waltz said: “Sagui has been through nearly 500 days of horror.
“Hamas cannot be allowed to survive.”
The leader of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in the UK has said they are “really fighting” for the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
Speaking to Sky’s Barbara Serra, Nivi Fledman, said 14 Israeli hostages are still due to be released as part of phase one of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
She said the families of those still in Gaza are “constantly stressed” not knowing if their relatives will be released or not in the coming weeks.
“Families are not eating or sleeping and are constantly stressed, not knowing if their children, fathers and brothers will come back or not,” Fledman said.
“Then the thought that the whole deal is out the window and no one else will ever come out of Gaza, it is [causing] a lot of anxiety.
“Seeing the video today, and the hostages seeing their families for the first time, you can’t stop crying.
“It is a miracle they are out, and I really hope we will have 73 more of them.”
Nineteen Israeli and five Thai hostages have been released so far during phase one of the current ceasefire deal.
Around half of the remaining 73 hostages have been declared dead in absentia by Israeli authorities.
Benjamin Netanyahu has said he “greatly appreciates” support from Donald Trump, adding his “firm stance” helped to secure today’s release of three Israeli hostages.
Responding to Trump’s message earlier today – which said the US would “back” Israel in “any decision they make” regarding the release of all the remaining hostages – the Israeli prime minister said he values the president’s “full support”.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu greatly appreciates president Trump’s leadership and the ongoing coordination with the United States,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said.
“The combination of the IDF’s reinforcement around the Gaza Strip and President Trump’s firm stance led to the release of three of our hostages today—despite Hamas’s previous refusal to free them.”
Netanyahu said he will convene his government’s security cabinet “as soon as possible” to decide on “Israel’s next steps”.
For context: Trump had given Hamas a deadline of noon (US time) to release all remaining Israeli hostages, saying “all hell would break loose” if that did not happen.
Israel however never imposed such a deadline, which is also not part of the ceasefire deal.
As we reported earlier, it was believed Netanyahu had spoken with ministers, the heads of the negotiating team and senior defence officials, over the phone to discuss the release of remaining hostages.
Footage of the “emotional meeting” of Israeli hostage Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov reuniting with his grandmother has been released by the office of Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Russian-Israeli was taken hostage along with his family in kibbutz Nir Oz.
His grandmother Irena Tati was released during the brief ceasefire in November 2023, along with Troufanov’s mother and girlfriend.
He was filmed hugging and walking arm in arm with his grandmother after being reunited at the Sheba Medical Centre earlier today.
Another Israeli hostage who was freed by Hamas earlier today has released a message.
Pictured by the IDF on a helicopter, American-Israeli Sagui Dekel Chen held up a sign of a hand drawn map, a heart and the number 73.
This appears to be a reference to the number of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza.
In another note, the father of three wrote: “Bari, Gali, Shahar – thank you for looking after me, Dad is on the way.”
The families of the remaining Israeli hostages have just held a news conference in Tel Aviv.
They pleaded with Benjamin Netanyahu to “bring home the hostages” claiming that those still in Gaza would “not survive much longer”.
Speaking directly to the Israeli prime minister, they said they would not allow the government to “torpedo” phase two of the ceasefire agreement – which is expected to include the release of all remaining hostages and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops.
The families went on to ask Donald Trump to put pressure on “all parties involved in the region” to ensure all remaining hostages are released before anything else.
“They cannot wait for big political plans to come to fruition, they simply won’t survive,” the spokesperson said.
“No one gets left behind, after that we can and will deal with everything else.”
For context: Negotiations over the crucial second phase of the ceasefire deal have already stalled as Israel said it will not agree to a complete withdrawal until Hamas’s military and political capabilities are eliminated, ensuring it can no longer rule.
Hamas said it refuses to hand over the last Israeli hostages until Israel ends the war and removes all its troops.
Trump had given Hamas a warning that “all hell is going to break out” if all the remaining Israeli hostages were not released by noon (US time) today.
The president’s deadline expired at 5pm UK time, but we are yet to hear anything further from him or Netanyahu on any possible developments.
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestine campaigners have today marched through central London in what organisers claimed was one of the largest protests since war broke out between Hamas and Israel.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), along with demonstrators from five other groups, gathered in Whitehall at midday before marching to the US embassy in Nine Elms Lane, southwest London, where speeches were made.
The protest came after Donald Trump made a proposal earlier this month for the US to consider taking over the Gaza Strip.
Protesters marched holding signs and banners that included slogans like: “Hands off Gaza” and “Stand up to Trump”.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was one of the speakers outside the embassy who called on “the whole world” to reject Trump’s plan.
A counter-protest by Stop The Hate took place along the route of the march at the junction of Grosvenor Road and Vauxhall Bridge.
The groups were separated by barriers and a marked area protected by police officers to ensure they did not physically come together.
The march was the 24th major pro-Palestine protest in the UK since the 7 October attack in 2023.
Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a phone call with ministers, the heads of the negotiating team and senior defence officials this evening.
The call will take place at 5pm UK time, which coincides with the time Donald Trump’s ultimatum expires.
For context: The US president said the Gaza ceasefire should be cancelled if all remaining Israeli hostages were not returned by noon today.
He warned Hamas “all hell is going to break out” if the hostages were not released.
Earlier today, Trump posted on Truth Social and said Israel will now have to decide what it will do about a deadline for all hostages to be released.
“The US will back any decision they make,” he added.
The Red Cross has continued to express its concern about the way hostage and prisoner releases are being carried out.
“Despite repeatedly calling for all transfers to be carried out in a dignified and private manner, more must be done by all sides, including the mediators, to improve future transfers,” it said in a statement.
Large crowds were seen at the releases of both the Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as has been the case in previous exchanges.
The Red Cross said it is committed to “acting as a neutral humanitarian intermediary to support the implementation” of the ceasefire agreement.
It also reiterated its “long-standing call for all hostages to be released in a dignified and safe manner, for more aid to enter Gaza and for the Red Cross to have access to all hostages and detainees”.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
