Three Israeli hostages, including a US dual national, were released by Hamas on Saturday after over 15 months in captivity in Gaza. The exchange involved the handing over of dozens of Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Israeli jails.
This poster shows three Israel i hostages held in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023: Yarden Bibas (L), Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel (R). An Israel i campaign group confirmed the names of three hostages set to be released on February 1, including American and French dual nationals. The Hostage and Missing Families Forum stated that the three captives to be released are Israel i citizen Yarden Bibas, Israel i-American Keith Seigel, and Israel i-French Ofer Kalderon. TEL AVIV, Israel — A U.S.
dual citizen is among the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas Saturday, after more than 15 months in captivity in Gaza.Keith Siegel, 65, Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Kalderon, 54. Kalderon also holds French citizenship. The three men were handed over Saturday morning to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza, who transferred them to Israeli troops for the drive across the border into Israel. Bibas and Kalderon were handed over in Khan Younis, in Gaza's south; Seigel in Gaza City in the enclave's north. In exchange, dozens of Palestinian prisoners and detainees are expected to be released from Israeli jails later in the day, including some serving life sentences. Among those to be released are, the former manager of operations for charity group World Vision in Gaza, who was convicted by Israel in 2022 for funneling funds to Hamas. Halabi pleaded not guilty, and World Vision strongly denied his involvement. Also expected to be released is Shadi Amouri, who's serving a life sentence for a bombing that killed 17 Israelis in 2002. Amouri is set to be deported to a neighboring country.The exchange is part of a multiphase deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, that began January 19, with a six-week ceasefire. During that time, a substantial number of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza — some of whom are believed to be dead — are supposed to be returned to Israel in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The deal has held for nearly two weeks, allowing aid to flow into the enclave. On Saturday, a key border crossing at Rafah opened for the first time since Israel took control of the crossing in May, allowing 50 Palestinians to cross into Egypt for. The two sides are set to begin the next phase of the negotiations which could see the ceasefire extended and the remaining hostages freed. A total of 18 hostages have been released since the ceasefire took effect – 13 of them Israeli and five Thai nationals. Over 500 Palestinians will have been released after today's exchange. Siegel is the first American to be released as part of this deal. There are six other U.S. citizens being held hostage in Gaza, two of whom are still thought to be alive, according to Israel.Bibas was taken hostage along with his wife and two small children. Throughout the war, the Bibas family has become a symbol of the plight of the hostages in Israel. Yarden Bibas has appeared in two videos from Gaza previously, but the fate of his family members in captivity remains unknown. Kalderon's family did not know whether he would be returned to Israel alive or dead until the day before his release.'I hope that he's well enough to hug him...to tell him that we love him and we are here,' his sister-in-law, Sharon Kalderon, told NPR earlier this month. There are 79 hostages remaining in Gaza, many of whom are believed to be deceased, according to Israel
HAMAS ISRAEL HOSTAGES GAZA CEASEFIRE EXCHANGE PRISONERS RELEASE
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