3 More Israelis To Be Freed In Gaza Ceasefire Swap

Israel and Hamas will carry out their fourth prisoners-for-captives swap of the Gaza ceasefire today, with the Palestinian group set to free three Israeli captives in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

In a statement on Telegram on Friday, the armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, named the three captives as Israeli-French citizen Ofer Kalderon, Israeli citizen Yarden Bibas and Israeli-American Keith Siegel.

Bibas, 34, is the father of Kfir, who was nine months old when Hamas took the family in October 2023, and Ariel, who was four at the time.

There has been no Israeli confirmation of the fates of Kfir, Ariel, or their mother, Shiri.

But Hamas said in late 2023 that the children and their mother were killed by an Israeli bombardment in the early months of the Gaza war.

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Siegel, currently in his 50s, was taken captive with his wife, Aviva, who was released by Hamas in the first captives-for-prisoners exchange in November 2023.

Kalderon, also in his 50s, was abducted by Hamas with his two children, Erez and Sahar. The children were also released in that first exchange.

The Israeli prime minister’s office reportedly said it has received and accepted the list, as Bibas’s release will be viewed in Israel as mainly symbolic and essential.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Media Office said 90 Palestinian prisoners, including nine serving life sentences and 81 serving long-term sentences, are to be released on Saturday as part of the swap.

Under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire, 33 captives held by Hamas in Gaza are to be freed in the first six weeks of the truce in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have been serving life sentences in Israel.

So far, 15 captives held in Gaza, including five Thai workers and 400 Palestinian prisoners, have been exchanged.

On Thursday, Hamas released three Israelis and five Thai captives, and Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners after delaying the process after crowds swarmed one of the captive handover points.