**The release highlights increasing complexities in the hostages-for-prisoners exchanges since the ceasefire began.**
**Hamas Announces Release of Three Hostages in Ongoing Ceasefire Agreement**
**Hamas Announces Release of Three Hostages in Ongoing Ceasefire Agreement**
**The Palestinian group names hostages to be freed as part of continued negotiations with Israel.**
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict, Hamas has disclosed the identities of three hostages slated for release on Saturday as part of a continuing ceasefire agreement with Israel. The individuals set for liberation are Israeli nationals Ofer Kalderon, 53, and Yarden Bibas, 34, alongside American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65. Among these, Yarden Bibas's son, Kfir, was the youngest hostage at just ten months old when he was taken. Bibas also has a wife, Shiri, and another son, Ariel, who is now four, who were captured alongside him, with their whereabouts currently unconfirmed.
The Israeli prime minister's office has acknowledged receiving the list of hostages. In return for the release, Israel is expected to free another group of Palestinian prisoners, marking the fourth hostages-for-prisoners exchange since the ceasefire began on January 19. The hostilities sparked by Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in the abduction of approximately 251 hostages and substantial casualties, with around 1,200 individuals killed in Israel and 47,460 Palestinians perishing due to the ensuing military operations in Gaza, according to reports from Gaza's Hamas-managed health ministry.
Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were captured from the Israeli community of Nir Oz, and Keith Siegel was abducted from Kfar Aza. While the release will elevate the total number of freed hostages to 18, four hundred Palestinian prisoners — including long-term inmates and youth held without trial — have already been released in prior exchanges. Most of these individuals have returned to the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, while many serious offenders have faced deportation. The ongoing negotiations reflect the intricate dynamics of the Israel-Palestine conflict amidst attempts at peace.
The Israeli prime minister's office has acknowledged receiving the list of hostages. In return for the release, Israel is expected to free another group of Palestinian prisoners, marking the fourth hostages-for-prisoners exchange since the ceasefire began on January 19. The hostilities sparked by Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in the abduction of approximately 251 hostages and substantial casualties, with around 1,200 individuals killed in Israel and 47,460 Palestinians perishing due to the ensuing military operations in Gaza, according to reports from Gaza's Hamas-managed health ministry.
Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were captured from the Israeli community of Nir Oz, and Keith Siegel was abducted from Kfar Aza. While the release will elevate the total number of freed hostages to 18, four hundred Palestinian prisoners — including long-term inmates and youth held without trial — have already been released in prior exchanges. Most of these individuals have returned to the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, while many serious offenders have faced deportation. The ongoing negotiations reflect the intricate dynamics of the Israel-Palestine conflict amidst attempts at peace.
