Gaza Strip, Feb 1 (IANS) – Israel on Saturday announced the release of two hostages, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas, after 484 days in Hamas captivity.
Calderon, a 54-year-old Israeli-French citizen, and Bibas, a 35-year-old Israeli civilian, were handed over to the Red Cross, which then transferred them to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet inside the Gaza Strip.
The IDF also confirmed that another hostage, 65-year-old Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, is expected to be released soon and will be handed over to the Red Cross at a separate location.
“Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas, accompanied by IDF and Shin Bet forces, have crossed the border into Israel and are en route to an initial absorption point,” the IDF stated in a post on X.
The military further noted that both hostages are being escorted by an elite IDF unit and security personnel for immediate medical evaluations before their transfer to a hospital.
After their release, the hostages will be taken to the IDF’s Reim base near the Gaza border, where they will reunite with their families before being flown to hospitals in central Israel for further medical care.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the news and expressed his gratitude to the Israeli forces. He also took the opportunity to criticize Hamas’ handling of hostage negotiations.
“Agam, Arbel, Gadi—welcome home. The entire State of Israel embraces you, as do my wife Sara and I,” Netanyahu said, referring to three other Israelis—Agam Berger, Arbel Yehud, and Gadi Moses—who were released from Gaza on Thursday.
Netanyahu credited the release to the persistence of Israeli forces and the government’s firm stance in negotiations.
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