The Palestinian armed group Hamas has revealed the names of three hostages it intends to release on Saturday as part of the ceasefire deal with Israel. The individuals are Ofer Kalderon, 53, and Yarden Bibas, 34, both Israelis, and American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65.
Yarden Bibas is the father of Kfir, the youngest hostage who was 10 months old when taken by Hamas. His wife Shiri and their older son Ariel, four, were also captured.
The Israeli prime minister's office confirmed receiving the list of hostages. In exchange, Israel will release another group of Palestinian prisoners, marking the fourth hostage-prisoner exchange since the ceasefire began on January 19.
Hamas abducted 251 hostages during an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties. Subsequently, Israel launched a 15-month military campaign in Gaza, leading to the death of 47,460 Palestinians, as reported by Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were taken from Nir Oz, while Keith Siegel was abducted from Kfar Aza. The fate of Shiri Bibas, their two children Ariel (now five), and Kfir (now two) remains unknown.
As of now, 18 hostages have been released under the ceasefire agreement. The Palestinian Prisoners' Association announced that on Saturday, nine prisoners serving life sentences and 81 serving lengthy terms will be set free. Israel has not issued a statement on this matter.
A total of 400 Palestinian prisoners have been released, including those convicted of serious offenses like bombings, as well as teenagers detained without charges. Many have returned to the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, while others deemed high-risk have been deported.
The latest prisoner exchange, which occurred on Thursday, highlighted the precarious nature of the agreement. Israel momentarily postponed the release in response to concerns about the treatment of eight hostages. Subsequently, the Israeli prime minister's office received assurance from mediators that a safe exit will be guaranteed for our hostages who are yet to be released.