TEHRAN- The latest exchange of captives for Palestinian prisoners has left Israeli leaders with their tails between their legs. 

Hamas freed three more Israeli captives on Saturday as part of a ceasefire with the regime. It was the sixth such exchange under the truce deal that took effect on January 19.

Sagui Dekel-Chen, Alexandre Troufanov, and Iair Horn were handed over to members of the International Committee of the Red Cross during a brief ceremony in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis.  The release occurred in exchange for the freedom of 369 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.

Palestinian civilians and armed fighters from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movements held a gathering ahead of the captive release, which took place close to the house of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar who was martyred by Israel in October. 

Hamas rejects Trump’s plan to forcibly displace Gazans, stating, "We say to the whole world that there is no migration except to Jerusalem (al-Quds)"Palestinians demonstrated their solidarity during the ceremony, reflecting their unwavering support for resistance groups.

Carrying weapons, the resistance fighters also showcased their military capabilities to emphasize Israel's failed military strategy in the war on Gaza.

“The release of the sixth batch of enemy prisoners confirms there is no way to free them except through negotiations and by adhering to the requirements of the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas said in a statement after the release.

The Hamas statement also condemned US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for Gaza. 

“We say to the whole world: there is no migration except to Jerusalem (al-Quds), and this is our response to all the calls for displacement and liquidation launched by Trump and those who support his approach from the forces of colonialism and occupation.”

During a press conference along with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 4, Trump floated the idea for the US to take control of Gaza. 

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too,” he said at the time. 

Trump has stressed that Palestinians in Gaza should leave the territory, exerting pressure on regional countries, in particular Jordan and Egypt, to embrace a forced removal. 

In a meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump dug his heels in and stated, “We’re going to take it (Gaza). We’re going to hold it.”

Trump’s plan to forcibly displace Palestinians has been roundly rejected by Palestinians and countries in the region, including Egypt and Jordan. Washington’s Western allies have also criticized his suggestion. 

With Saturday’s handover, 25 captives have been released since the start of the January ceasefire. 

The ceasefire is expected to be implemented in three phases. Its first phase will end in March. 

The truce should lead to the release of all captives and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. 

Trump had earlier proposed the cancelation of the Gaza ceasefire if all the captives were not released by Saturday, which was welcomed by Netanyahu who threatened to resume fighting. 

Nearly 250 people were taken captives and more than 1,100 others were killed after Hamas carried out a surprise military operation in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The Hamas attack dubbed the Al-Aqsa Storm was followed by Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. 

Netanyahu had repeatedly vowed to continue the war until eliminating Hamas and releasing all captives. But in the wake of the Israeli army’s failure to achieve these goals, he had to sign the ceasefire deal with Hamas. The resistance movement had freed over 100 Israeli captives in a weeklong truce agreement in November 2023.

Israel killed nearly 62,000 Palestinians during more than 15 months of war on Gaza. 

But Palestinians remain supportive of resistance groups. Additionally, Hamas has demonstrated that Israel has been unable to dismantle its military capabilities. 

For now, the commotion surrounding Trump and Netanyahu's continual threats serves merely as distractions intended to divert focus from Israel's unsuccessful military strategy in Gaza and the regime’s international isolation in the wake of its atrocities in the enclave.