Hamas has released American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel in Gaza City as part of a fourth round of hostage releases agreed upon in a cease-fire deal with Israel. This release follows the earlier release of two other hostages, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon, in Khan Yunis. In return for the three hostages, Israel is set to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners. The truce, which began on January 19, aims to end the deadliest war between Israel and Hamas. The release is a significant step in the first phase of the cease-fire, which also includes allowing wounded Palestinians to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing. Negotiations for the second phase, focusing on releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely, are scheduled to begin next week.
Red Cross vehicles have arrived at a site in Gaza City where Hamas is set to release American Israel i hostage Keith Siegel, 65, as part of the fourth round of hostage releases in its cease-fire deal with Israel . Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, N.C., was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza along with his wife, Aviva Siegel, during the Hamas -led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
She was released during a brief cease-fire the following month and has since waged a high-profile campaign to free her husband and other hostages. Ahead of the handover, hundreds of fighters and onlookers gathered around a stage, many carrying pictures of Hamas military leaders. Two other hostages — Yarden Bibas, 35, and French Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54 — were released earlier Saturday in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis. In return for the three, Israel is to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners. The truce, which began Jan. 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group. The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the Gaza Strip. A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truce’s initial six weeks. Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in the Oct. 7 attack or have died in captivity. Bibas and Kalderon were also abducted during the Hamas attack in southern Israel that sparked the war. The two initially headed to a reception point in a military base. Along the road, small groups of supporters waited for the convoys waving Israeli flags. Hamas released them to the Red Cross in a ceremony in Khan Yunis where each climbed on a stage and waved to onlookers. Armed Hamas militants formed a line leading to the stage in an orderly handover, a contrast to the chaotic crowds that surrounded hostages during a handover Thursday, angering Israel. Meanwhile Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing. It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing. The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the cease-fire. The Health Ministry said 50 sick and wounded children are scheduled to be evacuated through the Rafah crossing along with 61 companions. In Israel, the release of Bibas has brought renewed attention to — and concern for — the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons. All four were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two redheaded boys — Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months old at the time. Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on Oct. 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger over the hostage crisis in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name. Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesman recently acknowledged serious concern about their fates. Yarden Bibas is believed to have been held separately from his family. Photos taken during his abduction appeared to show him wounded. Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, Kalderon's family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Yunis and being transferred to the Red Cross. “Ofer is coming home!” they said, arms lifted to the sky. Kalderon’s two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during the cease-fire in November 2023. Family members said they weren’t able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned. “We are sorry it took so long, Ofer,” said Eyal Kalderon. “We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family.” French President Emmanuel Macron said that his nation “shares in the relief and joy” of Kalderon's return after 483 days of “unimaginable hell,” adding that France would continue doing all it can to secure the release of another French Israeli hostage being held in Gaza. The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences. More than 100 hostages were released during the weeklong cease-fire in November 2023. About 80 more hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third of them believed dead. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the 33 to be released in the first phase of the cease-fire are dead. Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the cease-fire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely
HOLIDAYS HOSTAGES HAMAS ISRAEL CEASE-FIRE GAZA PALESTINE REDCROSS RAFAH CROSSING
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