Seven Argentines remain among the hostages who could be released by Hamas following a ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement.
According to authorities in Qatar, which negotiated the ceasefire and release, 33 hostages should be freed in exchange for 1,000 Palestinians currently being detained by Israel. The prisoners will be released “in groups, starting with children and women.”
The first phase of the truce will last 42 days and will begin tomorrow, according to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al Thani.
“Hamas will release 33 Israeli captives, including civilian women ... children, elderly, sick civilians and wounded, in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Details on phases two and three will be finalised during the implementation of the first phase,” he explained.
During the October 7, 2023 attack, Hamas initially took more than 200 hostages, among them 19 Argentine nationals, two of whom were found dead and 11 who were able to return to the country.
At least seven Argentine citizens are still being held by Hamas, according to President Javier Milei’s government.
Among them are brothers Iair and Eitan Horn, 45 and 35 years old respectively at the time of their kidnapping, who lived in kibbutz Nir Oz.
Both were at Iair's house when they were captured by the terrorists. Their father is an Argentine journalist who has been living with his family in Israel for more than 20 years.
Argentine brothers David Cunio, 34, and Ariel Cunio, 27, also remain in captivity, according to La Nación. Both were captured with their families, some of whom have since been freed.
The list also includes members of the Israeli-Argentine Bibas family, including Shiri Silberman Bibas and her sons Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who were kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz.
At the time of the kidnapping, Kfir was only nine months old and turned two years old on January 18 in captivity, while his brother Ariel turned five.
As the youngest person captured by Hamas, Kfir quickly became a well-known symbol of the violence committed against the hostages, with his face printed on Israeli protest signs and international media following his first and second birthdays.
In November 2023, militant group Palestine Islamic Jihad reported that Shiri and the children had been killed in an Israeli attack, although the Israeli military was never able to confirm this information.
Ariel and Kfir Bibas were the only children who were not released during a truce in November of that year, which raised uncertainties about their condition.
There is no confirmation yet as to when the seven Argentines will be released, nor if they will be among the 33 hostages set to be freed during the first phase of the ceasefire deal.
— TIMES/NA/PERFIL
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