Hamas has announced plans to release three Israeli hostages on Saturday, including Yarden Bibas, the father of two of the youngest captives taken during the October 7, 2023, attacks. Yarden, 35, was abducted along with his wife, Shiri, and their two sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2. The fate of Shiri and the children remains uncertain. In November 2023, Hamas claimed that Shiri and the boys were killed in an Israeli airstrike, releasing a video of Yarden blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their deaths. However, Israeli authorities have not confirmed these claims, and the family continues to hold out hope for their safe return.
The other two hostages set for release are Keith Siegel, 65, and Ofer Kalderon, 54. Siegel, an Israeli-American, was taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, while Kalderon was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his son Erez, 11, and daughter Sahar, 16. The status of Kalderon’s children is currently unknown.
This development is part of ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by international mediators, aiming to secure the release of hostages taken during the conflict. The situation remains fluid, with efforts continuing to bring all captives home safely.
