Hamas to release 3 more hostages, including US citizen, as part of fragile ceasefire deal

Terror radical Hamas has released 2 much hostages, with a third, an American-Israeli national Keith Siegel, expected to beryllium freed aboriginal Saturday arsenic portion of the ceasefire statement with Israel. 

Hamas handed implicit Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas to the Red Cross, and some were expected to beryllium fixed implicit to IDF soldiers. 

Siegel, 65, was raised successful North Carolina and immigrated to Israel arsenic a young man, becoming a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen. He and his wife, Aviva, settled successful Kibbutz Kfar Aza. He had been held successful Gaza since October 7, 2023, erstwhile some were kidnapped from their location during the Hamas massacre. 

Aviva Siegel, who was freed successful the past hostage woody successful November, previously told Fox News astir her fears for his deteriorating health, emphasizing that the combat is not implicit until each hostages return. Alongside Siegel, French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were besides freed. Bibas’ woman and 2 young children stay successful captivity.

ISRAELI WOMAN BRAVELY DESCRIBES HORROR AS HAMAS HOSTAGE: 'THEY WERE TAKING PLEASURE IN HURTING ME'

Siegel would beryllium the archetypal American freed nether the existent ceasefire deal. So far, 10 Israeli hostages and 5 Thai nationals abducted connected October 7 person besides been released. Six Americans remain successful Gaza. Among them, Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old begetter of three, is expected to beryllium freed soon. Another captive, Edan Alexander, 21, from New Jersey, was serving successful the IDF erstwhile taken. Hamas besides holds the bodies of deceased hostages.

Securing the merchandise of U.S. citizens and different hostages remains a apical precedence for President Donald Trump, who warned Hamas would look "all hellhole to pay" if they failed to comply. White House envoy Steve Witkoff, intimately monitoring the situation, precocious became the archetypal U.S. authoritative to sojourn Gaza successful 15 years. "There is astir thing near of Gaza," Witkoff told Axios, estimating that afloat reconstruction could instrumentality 10 to 15 years. He stressed that advancing the hostage woody is cardinal to stabilizing the portion and broader diplomatic efforts, including Saudi-Israeli normalization talks.

For the families of those inactive successful captivity, the conflict is acold from over. Yechi Yehoud, begetter of released hostage Arbel Yehoud who was released connected Thursday, delivered an affectional connection upon his daughter’s return. 

"Arbel has travel backmost to america successful tenable health, considering the hellhole she endured. She survived heroically until the precise end, displaying immeasurable courage. We are present besides to explicit our gratitude to President Trump, and his Middle East Special Envoy Mr. Steve Witkoff, who knew however to talk 'Trump language' successful the Middle East and leverage afloat diplomatic unit for the hostages' return… We won’t remainder until we cognize they’re backmost with us, alive!"

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOSTAGES AND CEASE-FIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO BEGIN SUNDAY

The ceasefire, which has temporarily halted a brutal 15-month war, is unfolding successful phases. Each signifier involves the staggered merchandise of Israeli hostages successful speech for Palestinian prisoners and accrued humanitarian assistance into Gaza. However, the process has faced setbacks, including horrific scenes this week erstwhile Hamas paraded hostages earlier an aggravated mob, endangering their safety. The chaotic handover to the Red Cross sparked outrage successful Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concisely halted the reciprocal merchandise of Palestinian prisoners, informing Hamas against further disruptions.

The existent program includes further hostage releases successful the coming weeks, with 33 captives expected to beryllium freed implicit six weeks. In return, Israel volition merchandise 2,000 Palestinian information prisoners, including 250-300 convicted of deadly attacks, and let accrued humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Whether Hamas volition afloat comply remains uncertain, putting the fragile truce astatine risk.

Amid high-stakes ceasefire negotiations, Netanyahu has accepted an invitation from President Trump to sojourn Washington connected February 4, making him the archetypal overseas person to conscionable Trump successful his 2nd term. The sojourn volition absorption connected the hostage deal, ceasefire discussions, and broader information concerns, including Iran and Gaza’s reconstruction.