Israel is set to release three male hostages held in Gaza, bringing an end to the latest captives under the ceasefire and hostage deal. The trio, Keith Siegel, Yarden Bibas, and Ofer Kalderon, were named by the militant group on Friday.
Keith Siegel, an Israeli-American citizen, was taken from his home in kibbutz Kfar Aza in June 2023. His wife Aviva was released in November as part of a previous ceasefire deal. According to Aviva, Keith would ask everyone to identify one thing they were thankful for while in captivity.
Yarden Bibas and his family were kidnapped on October 7 along with his sons Kfir and Ariel. Hamas claimed that the entire family was killed in an Israeli airstrike in November, but Israel has not confirmed their deaths. The Bibas family, particularly Kfir, are prominent victims of the terror attacks.
Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli citizen, was kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz with his son Erez and daughter Sahar in October 2023. His children were released during the November ceasefire, but Ofer remains captive. He is described by his family as a skilled cyclist, carpenter, and music lover who enjoyed spending time with his kids.
These releases come as part of the ongoing ceasefire efforts between Israel and Hamas, marking the latest development in the hostage situation.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-hamas-ceasefire-hostages-war-02-01-25/index.html