The radical Palestinian group "Hamas" handed over to the Red Cross in the city of Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, the third Israeli hostage who was scheduled for release today, Reuters and DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
This is 65-year-old Kit Siegel, who has Israeli and American citizenship. Before him, Ofer Calderon (54 years old) and Yarden Bibas (35) were released earlier this morning, Reuters reported. Calderon also has a French passport.
The Israeli army announced in an official statement that it had already taken over the two previously released prisoners.
According to the agreement reached in exchange for the three, Israel must release about 90 Palestinian prisoners. Nine of them were sentenced to life, DPA explains.
The war between Israel and "Hamas" broke out on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian group attacked Israeli territory. According to Israeli data, nearly 1,200 people were killed at the time, and about 250 hostages were taken prisoner.
The subsequent Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip killed 47,000 Palestinians, according to the information of the Hamas Health Ministry.
A six-week ceasefire came into effect on January 19, and with Calderon and Bibas, the number of Israeli hostages released under this ceasefire became twelve.
Along with Bibas, his wife Shiri and his sons Kfir, then nine months old, and Ariel, four years old, were taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023. Information appeared that they died in an Israeli bombardment, but yesterday Hamas did not mention anything about their fate, Reuters specifies. Kfir Bibas is the youngest hostage.