In Jerusalem on January 31, Hamas announced its plan to release the father of the youngest hostages taken in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, along with two others - one holding dual U.S. citizenship and the other dual French citizenship - in the upcoming exchange of Gaza hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
As stated by Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the armed wing of Hamas, Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel, and Ofer Kalderon will be released this Saturday.
Yarden Bibas, who was only nine months old when abducted, was taken along with Ariel, then four years old, during the cross-border attack. Unfortunately, no information has been provided about Kfir, Ariel, or their mother Shiri since Hamas claimed their deaths in late 2023 due to Israeli airstrikes in the early months of the fighting.
The situation escalated with videos of the abduction circulating, showing a terrified Shiri and her children being taken captive by militant assailants.
In response to delays and concerns, a recent exchange occurred where three Israeli and five Thai hostages were freed by Hamas in Gaza, while Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners.
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement ending the 15-month conflict, a total of 33 hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza are to be released in the first six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, most of whom were serving life sentences in Israel.
Amidst the ongoing negotiations, there are critics in Israel questioning the handling of the hostage situation and the peace deal, emphasizing the uncertainty regarding the fate of the remaining hostages and Hamas’s position of power in Gaza.
The fragile peace is further troubled by issues surrounding humanitarian aid distribution and accusations traded between Israel and Hamas, posing potential threats to the stability of the region.