The hostages to be released from Gaza on February 1: Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas (Courtesy)
Israeli hostages Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel and Ofer Calderon will be released by Hamas on Saturday, according to a list Israel received from the mediators on Friday.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) first confirmed the reception of the list, before publicly confirming the names after the hostages’ families were informed.
“This list is acceptable to Israel and is being forwarded with the approval of the families,” the PMO said.
The planned release of Yarden Bibas (35), who is categorized as “sick or injured,” is particularly notable.
Earlier this week, Israel demanded to receive information about the condition of Bibas’ wife Shiri, and their two young children Kfir and Ariel, who, as civilians, should have been released in the past releases under the terms of the agreement.
Instead, five kidnapped female IDF soldiers were released last week, while the condition of the Bibas family remains unclear.
In a first official comment, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari said last week that there are “grave concerns” over the fate of Shiri and her children.
Yarden was wounded during the Oct. 7 invasion, and kidnapped separately from his family in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Keith Siegel (65) is a dual U.S. citizen originally from North Carolina, and was kidnapped together with his wife Aviva from Kibbutz Kfar Azza. Aviva was freed in the first hostage deal in Nov. 2023.
Siegel’s daughter Shir on Friday filmed and published the moment when she told her mother the news that her father will be released on Saturday.
שיר סיגל, בתו של קית’ שצפוי להשתחרר מחר מהשבי, תיעדה את אמה מקבלת את הבשורה “שירקוש אבא ברשימה” pic.twitter.com/G4Zyxt86wI
— ישראל היום (@IsraelHayomHeb) January 31, 2025
Ofer Calderon (54), a dual French citizen, was kidnapped with his children Erez (12) and Sahar (16) from Kibbutz Nir Oz. They were also freed in the hostage deal in Nov. 2023.
“Thank God, oh my goodness, what a perfect morning,” Sahar wrote on Instagram on Friday.
In exchange for the three Israelis, 90 Palestinian prisoners will be released. Israeli media reported that this will include nine prisoners serving life sentences, and 81 who are serving various other sentences of significant length.
As of Friday, 82 Israeli hostages remain in captivity, with 23 being slated to be released during the current ceasefire phase. Of these, 15 are alive while eight were killed in captivity.
