Hamas Releases Three Hostages In Ceasefire Exchange Israel Confirms Release Of Israeli-American Keith Siegel

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages in the fourth exchange of the ceasefire deal, ahead of the expected release of 183 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were paraded on stage before being released to the Red Cross in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, while US-Israeli Keith Siegel was freed in a similar ceremony at Gaza City's port in the north.

All you need to know about the released hostages

Israel's military later confirmed that all three were back in Israel, including Israeli-American hostage Keith Siegel.

"A short while ago, the returning civilian hostage, Keith Siegel, crossed the border into Israeli territory accompanied by IDF (military) and ISA (security agency) forces," the military said in a statement.

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Meanwhile, Franco-Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon's uncle Shemi told AFP: "We have waited for this moment for a very long time."

"I hope that this is a sign of the rebirth of the people of Israel, not just of Ofer, not just of the hostages, but of the people of Israel," he said, overcome with emotion.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on X he shared the "relief and joy" of Kalderon's family and friends "after 483 days of unimaginable hell".

Bibas, 35, was released without his wife Shiri or his two children -- Kfir, the youngest hostage who was eight and a half months old at the time of his capture on October 7, 2023, and his brother Ariel, then four.

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