Israel frees 183 Palestinian prisoners, Hamas 3 hostages
New Delhi, Feb 1: The Palestinian group Hamas released 3 more Israeli hostages in two separate handovers on Saturday.
In return, Israel has freed 183 Palestinian prisoners, marking another step in the agreement brokered after 15 months of intense conflict in Gaza.
Among the freed hostages are French-Israeli national Ofer Kalderon, and Israeli citizen Yarden Bibas, both handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
The third released Israeli, 65-year-old Keith Siegel, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was abducted from his home in Kfar Aza along with his wife Adrienne, who was released in a previous exchange in November 2023.
Following their handover, the hostages reached Israel, where they underwent medical evaluations before reuniting with their families.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, a bus carrying some of the 183 Palestinian prisoners freed as part of the exchange arrived at scenes of jubilation. The release included a number of long-term detainees and individuals serving life sentences. One of the released prisoners, an elderly Palestinian, was seen being transported in a wheelchair.
The ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19 has remained in place despite occasional fragile moments of accusations of violations from both sides. Since its implementation, 18 hostages have been freed, while an estimated 82 remain in captivity. The prisoner swap is part of ongoing negotiations involving Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with US backing.
It all started when Hamas gunmen attacked Israel’s positions on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the capture of 251 hostages. In reprisal, a massive Israeli military offensive took place for the next 15 months in Gaza, which claimed the lives of 47,460 Palestinians amid massive destruction.
Beyond the prisoner swap, additional humanitarian efforts are underway. The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen on Saturday evening, allowing around 50 critically ill and injured Palestinians to seek medical treatment outside the besieged enclave. Each patient will be accompanied by up to three family members.
As of Saturday, approximately 580 Palestinian prisoners have been released under the ceasefire agreement. Most have returned to the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, while a few have been deported to third countries.
The fragile ceasefire remains under close international scrutiny as efforts continue to secure the release of the remaining hostages and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that needs massive reconstruction.
