Hamas released three Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for over 180 Palestinian prisoners, marking the fourth such swap under a ceasefire agreement aimed at halting the Gaza war.
Israeli hostages Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were presented on stage by Hamas militants before being handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Yunis, a southern city in Gaza. A similar handover took place for American-Israeli Keith Siegel at Gaza City’s port.
The Israeli military later confirmed that the three hostages had safely returned to Israel.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli advocacy group, described the release as “a ray of light in the darkness.” Kalderon’s uncle, Shemi, expressed his emotional hope that this moment signified more than just the release of his nephew, but the renewal of the entire Israeli people.
Later that day, a bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners was celebrated by a jubilant crowd in Ramallah, West Bank. In Khan Yunis, three others were welcomed by hundreds of supporters. The bus in Ramallah had trouble making its way through the enthusiastic crowd, with several prisoners lifted onto the shoulders of well-wishers. One freed inmate, Ata Abdelghani, shared his emotional experience of meeting his 10-year-old twin sons for the first time since his release.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad began releasing hostages on January 19, following a ceasefire agreement. The militants have now freed 18 hostages through the International Committee of the Red Cross, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including women and children. Saturday’s swap included 183 Palestinian prisoners, along with one Egyptian.
Sources within Hamas indicated that another hostage exchange would take place next Saturday.
The hostages were initially abducted during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war. Siegel, Kalderon, and Bibas were taken from kibbutzim Kfar Aza and Nir Oz, respectively. On that day, militants captured 251 people, with 76 still believed to be held in Gaza, including at least 34 confirmed dead. Bibas’s family, including his wife Shiri and their two children, were taken by Hamas. Although Hamas claims they are dead, Israeli authorities have not confirmed this.
Bibas’s children, Kfir and Ariel, have become symbols of the ongoing hostage crisis. Footage from the Israeli military showed a heartfelt reunion between Bibas and his father, and the Bibas family later released a statement expressing their joy at his return but their continued yearning for the safe return of the rest of their loved ones.
Israel’s hostage coordinator, Gal Hirsch, reiterated the government’s demand for information on the remaining hostages, especially Bibas’s family.
In Tel Aviv, hundreds gathered at “Hostage Square” to watch the release on live television. While there was relief at the hostages’ return, the mood remained subdued.
