A ceasefire in Gaza witnessed its most seamless exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, a significant development as discussions on the truce's next phase commence. The Rafah border crossing reopened, marking a tangible sign of progress.
The ceasefire in Gaza saw its smoothest exchange yet of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, and the crucial Rafah border crossing reopened just days before discussions on the truce's far more difficult second phase begin. Those talks start Monday, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with U.S.
President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, giving him a chance to showcase his ties to Israel's closest ally and press his case for what should come next after 15 months of war. Many details of the ceasefire's second phase still need to be worked out, but it calls for the release of the remaining hostages and an indefinite extension of the truce in the deadliest and most destructive war ever between Israel and Hamas. The fighting could resume in early March if an agreement isn't reached.Hamas on Saturday freed three male hostages, and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth such exchange. The next is planned for next Saturday. Militants handed Argentinian-Israeli Yarden Bibas and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, looking pale and thin, was handed over later in Gaza City. All three were taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the war. Eighteen hostages have now been released since the ceasefire began on Jan. 19.The latest releases were quick and orderly, in contrast to chaotic scenes on Thursday when armed militants appeared to struggle to hold back a crowd. On Saturday, the militants stood in rows as the hostages walked onto a stage and waved. Hamas has sought to show it remains in control in Gaza even though a number of its military leaders have been killed, while displaying anti-Israel slogans during the handovers. In Tel Aviv's Hostages Square — a name it was given after the war began — thousands of people watched the handover on a large screen, cheering. A bus later departed Ofer Military Prison with over two dozen Palestinian prisoners bound for the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Jubilant crowds cheered and hoisted the prisoners on their shoulders. Many appeared frail and thin. The Israeli Prison Authority said all 183 prisoners set for release had been freed. In another sign of progress in the ceasefire, they included 111 who were arrested after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack but who weren't involved in it. They had been held without trial and were released to Gaza. Seven serving life sentences were transferred to Egypt.Siegel, 65, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva. She was released during a brief 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to get the remaining hostages freed.'You can see that he's lost a lot of weight, but still he's walking and talking and you can feel that it's still him. And one of the first things he told us is that he's still vegan,' said Siegel's niece, Tal Wax. The release of Bibas, 35, brought renewed attention to the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were 4 years old and 9 months old when they were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Kfir was the youngest of the roughly 250 people who were taken captive on Oct. 7, and his plight came to represent the helplessness and anger in Israel. Israel expressed 'grave concern' for Bibas' wife and children and pleaded with negotiators to provide information. Hamas has said they were killed in an Israeli airstrike, but Israel has not confirmed it. After his release, Bibas closed his eyes as his father, Eli, and sister Ofri hugged him and cried. 'Sweetheart,' his father said.Kalderon, 54, was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His two children, Erez and Sahar, were taken alongside him and released during the earlier ceasefire.There were similar scenes among the released Palestinians. 'Certainly, it's an indescribable feeling, and undoubtedly a mixed feeling of both sadness and joy, as we have left our brothers in captivity,' said Mohammad Kaskus, who had been sentenced to 25 years over attacks against Israelis. Palestinians who had been sentenced over their connection to deadly attacks against Israelis described harsh conditions, beatings and other abuse in prison. The Israeli Prison Authority didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.The ceasefire has held for two weeks, allowing for hundreds of trucks of aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory and for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to shattered homes in northern Gaz
GAZA CEASEFIRE HOSTAGE EXCHANGE PALESTINIAN PRISONERS ISRAELI HOSTAGES RAFAH BORDER CROSSING BENJAMIN NETANYAHU DONALD TRUMP
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