The father of the youngest captives snatched from Israel by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023, and an American dual citizen are among the three hostages who will be freed by the Palestinian terror group in the next cease-fire exchange.
Yarden Bibas, 35, Keith Siegel, 65, and Ofer Calderon, 54, will be released from Gaza during Saturday’s swap — marking the fourth hostage-prisoner exchange since the groundbreaking deal between Hamas and Israel went into effect on Jan. 19.
Israeli-American Keith Siegel, who was taken hostage with his wife Aviva, was seen in a video released by Hamas last year. His wife was released in the first hostage-for-prisoner exchange in November 2023. Facebook / Elan SiegelTen Israeli hostages have since been freed as part of the first wave of the three-phase deal.
Bibas was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz alongside his wife Shiri, 32, and their two red-headed sons Kfir and Ariel during the horrific cross-border attack. Kfir, the youngest of Hamas’ captives, was just 9 months old when he was abducted while his brother was 4. They are now 2 and 5, respectively.
It is believed Bibas was taken captive separately from his wife and children – with terrifying footage released of Shiri clutching her small sons in a blanket surrounded by gunmen during their abduction later becoming a symbol of Hamas’ brutality.
It is unknown if his family is still alive, despite Hamas claiming in November 2023 that the trio were killed in an Israeli airstrike at the start of the war.
Ofer Kalderon’s two children Erez and Sahar, abducted alongside him, were also released in the first exchange. REUTERS
Yarden Bibas is the father of baby Kfir, only nine months old when he was kidnapped, and Ariel, who was four at the time of the cross-border attack. via REUTERSSiegel, an Israeli American originally from North Carolina, was taken hostage with his wife, Aviva, 62, from their home on Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
His wife was previously released as part of a temporary cease-fire deal in November 2023.
Calderon was abducted, alongside his two children Erez and Sahar, from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His children were freed in November.
The hostage and cease-fire enacted a six-week pause in fighting in the war-torn Palestinian enclave following more than 15 months of fighting.
During this period, the remaining Israeli hostages will be gradually freed from captivity in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by the Jewish state – including 30 serving life sentences – as well as all detained Palestinian women and children.
At least 33 hostages are expected to be released during the first phase of the deal – most of whom are women, children and men over 50, and the sick and wounded.
With Post wires
