Palestinians walk past destroyed buildings in Gaza amid ceasefire REUTERS
Three Israeli hostages are expected to be freed by Hamas on Saturday as part of a prisoner exchange deal aimed at easing tensions in the 15-month-long war in Gaza. The agreement, facilitated through a truce, has raised hopes for further negotiations that could lead to a more lasting resolution.
Among the hostages set for release is Yarden Bibas, the father of two young boys who were taken hostage during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. His sons, Kfir, who was only nine months old at the time, and Ariel, then four years old, were also abducted along with their mother, Shiri. In November 2023, Hamas claimed that Shiri and the two children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, but no further confirmation has been provided.
The exchange will also include two dual nationals: Keith Siegel, a U.S.-Israeli citizen, and Ofer Kalderon, who holds both French and Israeli citizenship. In return for the three Israeli hostages, Hamas is expected to receive 182 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
As part of the ceasefire agreement, Saturday will also see the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. The first group allowed to leave will include 50 wounded Palestinian militants and 50 injured civilians, accompanied by their escorts. An additional 100 people, primarily students, may also be permitted to cross for humanitarian reasons.
This swap is part of the broader deal that initially secured the release of 15 out of 33 hostages in exchange for 400 Palestinian detainees. The ongoing negotiations aim to secure the freedom of more than 60 remaining hostages while working toward a potential withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Talks on this next phase are expected to begin by Tuesday.
The truce, brokered with the assistance of Egyptian and Qatari mediators and supported by the United States, has remained in effect despite occasional accusations from both sides of violating the agreement.
The conflict, which began with the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of over 250 individuals, according to Israeli officials. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign that has devastated much of Gaza, leading to over 47,000 Palestinian casualties, as reported by Palestinian health authorities.
