Jerusalem: The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed on Friday that Israel has received a list of three Israeli civilian hostages that Hamas will release on Saturday. The hostages include Israeli French citizen Ofer Calderon (54), Israeli American citizen Keith Siegel (65), and Israeli civilian Yarden Bibas (35).
Yarden Bibas’ wife, Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel (5) and Kfir (2), were also taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023. While the Israeli military has not officially confirmed their deaths, they have expressed “grave concern” for their safety.
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Ceasefire-for-Hostages Agreement
This release is part of the ongoing ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas, which came into effect on January 19. As part of the agreement, three Israeli hostages are scheduled to be freed on Saturday. Since the ceasefire’s implementation, several other hostages have been released, including five Israeli civilians, five female Israeli soldiers, and five Thai nationals.
The first phase of the ceasefire includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages from Gaza and the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
Military Operation in the West Bank
In related news, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) issued a joint statement on Friday regarding an operation in the West Bank. The operation resulted in the deaths of two Palestinian militants in Jenin, northern West Bank.
The IDF and ISA had encircled a structure on Thursday, where the militants were killed after close-quarters combat with Israeli forces. One Israeli soldier was killed, and five others were injured during the engagement. Since January 21, the IDF, ISA, and Israel Border Police have been conducting the “Iron Wall” military operation to dismantle terrorist groups in the West Bank’s Jenin and Tulkarm areas.
Key Points:
- Three Israeli civilian hostages, including Ofer Calderon, Keith Siegel, and Yarden Bibas, are set to be freed from Gaza on Saturday.
- The release is part of a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas, effective since January 19.
- The IDF and ISA carried out an operation in Jenin, killing two Palestinian militants while Israeli soldiers faced casualties.
- The “Iron Wall” operation aims to dismantle terrorist groups in the West Bank, resulting in multiple casualties and arrests.
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Stay updated for further developments on the hostage release and military operations in the region.
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