Hamas has released three Israeli hostages as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.
The hostages, who had been held captive for over a year, were handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, a town in southern Gaza.
Among the released were Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli dual national, Yarden Bibas, and Keith Siegel, an American-Israeli citizen. Their release came after 484 days in captivity, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the ongoing conflict.
The hostage release is part of a broader ceasefire agreement aimed at halting the 15-month-long war in Gaza. This release marks the continuation of a hostage-for-prisoner swap between the two sides, a significant step towards peace, even if temporary.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group that advocates for the release of hostages, expressed relief and optimism, calling the release a "ray of light in the darkness" that exemplifies the resilience of the human spirit.
For Yarden Bibas, the release was bittersweet. He will return to an empty home as both his children, a 9-month-old baby and a 4-year-old, were taken by Hamas during the attack on October 7, 2023.
Tragically, Hamas later claimed that Bibas' children and their mother, Shiri, died in an Israeli airstrike in November of the same year, turning what should have been a joyous reunion into a reminder of the profound losses suffered by families.
Keith Siegel’s release was a significant moment, especially as he became the first American citizen to be freed under the current ceasefire deal. Siegel, who is 65 years old, was taken from his home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7 raid.
His wife, Aviva, had been released during a previous swap in November 2023, and she had worked tirelessly, even meeting with leaders such as US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in her efforts to bring her husband home.
French President Emmanuel Macron also expressed joy over the release of Ofer Kalderon, the French-Israeli citizen. Kalderon’s children, Erez and Sahar, had been released during the November 2023 exchange.
Macron, reflecting the relief of Kalderon’s family, called his freedom "immense relief" after 483 days of "unimaginable hell."
The handover on Saturday contrasted with the chaotic scenes witnessed just days before, where tensions had flared during the release of 18 hostages, including five Thai nationals.
That exchange had been accompanied by a highly charged atmosphere as Hamas guards struggled to protect the hostages from an angry crowd in Gaza. In contrast, Saturday’s handover was peaceful, a sign of hope that these exchanges could lead to further progress in negotiations.
Follow us
