The Palestinian armed group Hamas has released the names of three hostages set to be freed on Saturday as part of a truce agreement with Israel. The individuals include 53-year-old Ofer Calderon, 34-year-old Yarden Bibas, and 65-year-old Keith Siegel. Yarden Bibas is the father of 10-month-old Kfir, the youngest hostage held by Hamas. Yarden’s wife, Shiri, and their four-year-old son, Ariel, were also abducted during the same incident.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that it has received the list of hostages to be released. In exchange, Israel will free another group of Palestinian prisoners. This marks the fourth such exchange since the truce came into effect on January 19.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The ensuing war has devastated Gaza, with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry reporting that Israeli military operations have resulted in the deaths of 47,460 Palestinians.
Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas were abducted from Nir Oz, while Keith Siegel was taken from Kfar Aza. The fate of Yarden’s wife, Shiri, and their two children, Ariel (now 5) and Kfir (now 2), remains unknown.
With the release of these three hostages, the total number of hostages freed under the truce agreement will rise to 18. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Association, nine prisoners serving life sentences and 81 others with long-term sentences will be released on Saturday. Israel has yet to comment on this development.
So far, 400 Palestinian prisoners have been released, ranging from those convicted of bombings and other attacks to young detainees held without charge. Most have returned to the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, while those convicted of serious crimes have been deported.
The hostage-prisoner exchanges under the truce have been fraught with tension. During last Thursday’s exchange, Israel delayed the release of prisoners after becoming angered by the treatment of hostages during their handover.
In related developments, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken with former British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari. According to the Damari family’s spokesperson, Starmer expressed joy over Emily’s release. Emily and her mother thanked the Prime Minister and all those who campaigned for her freedom.
The Damari family informed Starmer that Emily had been held for some time in facilities run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and was denied medical treatment. They urged the Prime Minister to increase pressure on Hamas and UNRWA to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) access to the remaining hostages in Gaza.
The ongoing truce and exchanges remain precarious, with both sides navigating complex negotiations amid the devastating humanitarian toll of the conflict.
