By Summer Said, Anat Peled and Rory Jones
Hamas on Friday named the next three hostages to be freed under the Gaza cease-fire deal, including the first American to be released in the latest truce.
The militant group said it would free 65-year-old Israeli-American Keith Siegel, who was kidnapped from his home on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched attacks on Israel that sparked the 15-month war in Gaza. Siegel was taken with his wife Aviva Siegel, who was released in the last cease-fire deal in November 2023.
Alongside Siegel, Hamas said it would free Yarden Bibas, 35, whose wife and children are also hostages, and Ofer Kalderon, 54, an Israeli-French citizen, whose two children were also kidnapped but released in the November 2023 cease-fire.
The multiphase cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas agreed that the militant group would release hostages weekly, starting with female civilians. The deal came into effect on Jan. 19, but the militant group last weekend released four female Israeli soldiers, contravening the spirit of the deal, mediators said.
Israel, as a result, delayed allowing Palestinians to cross an Israeli-controlled corridor into the Gaza Strip's north until Hamas freed Arbel Yehoud, a female civilian. The sides eventually agreed to add an extra hostage exchange on Thursday to smooth over the tension.
The jockeying between Israel and Hamas illustrates the fragility of a cease-fire deal that is only in its second week and which U.S. and Arab mediators hope can become the basis of a permanent end to the 15-month fighting in Gaza.
Write to Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com, Anat Peled at anat.peled@wsj.com and Rory Jones at Rory.Jones@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 31, 2025 05:12 ET (10:12 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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