Father of the youngest Gaza hostages is set to be released on Saturday

Father of the youngest Gaza hostages is set to be released on Saturday

Hamas announced Friday that the upcoming release of three Israeli hostages from Gaza on Saturday will include a dual American citizen and the father of the youngest hostage, who was kidnapped from Israel on October 7, 2023.

Details of the kidnapped hostages

The three men announced for release are Keith Siegel, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office confirmed that their families had been informed.

Keith Siegel, an Israeli-American citizen, was kidnapped from his home on Kibbutz Kfar Aza. His wife Aviva, who was kidnapped at the same time, was released in November 2023 as part of a short-lived ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Yarden Bibas was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his wife Shiri and two sons Kfir and Ariel. Kfir was only nine months old at the time of the kidnapping, making him the youngest hostage taken on October 7th.

In November 2023, Hamas claimed that Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas had died in an Israeli airstrike and released a video of Yarden Bibas holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for their deaths. An Israeli military spokesman called the video "psychological terror" and Israel has never confirmed the family's death, but informed relatives that they may no longer be alive, according to a spokesman for the Forum for Hostages and Missing Families.

More information about the hostages

Ofer Kalderon was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz at the age of 52 along with his son Erez, who was 11 at the time, and his daughter Sahar, who was 16. Erez and Sahar were also released during the November 2023 ceasefire.

The Forum for Hostages and Missing Families confirmed the names of the hostages, and the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that the hostages' families had been informed.

Progress in rescuing hostages

Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, Hamas and allied militant groups have released a total of 10 Israeli and 5 Thai hostages. The chaotic scenes surrounding the release of the hostages in Gaza on Thursday led to strong criticism by Israeli leaders and initially delayed the release of Palestinian prisoners, who were ultimately released later in the day. Netanyahu called these events "shocking" and demanded guarantees from the ceasefire brokers - Qatar, Egypt and the United States - that the incident would not be repeated.

Hamas is expected to release another 23 hostages during the 42-day ceasefire, including the three due to be released this Saturday. Eight of them have already been confirmed dead, the Israeli government confirmed.

The exchange of prisoners

In return, Israel will hundreds of Palestinian prisoners some of whom are being held without charge, while others have been convicted of serious crimes - 30 for each civilian victim, 50 for each Israeli soldier and 110 for the nine hostages who are injured or sick and are not soldiers.

As of Friday, Hamas and its allies were still holding 79 people kidnapped from Israel on October 7, 2023, as well as three other hostages held since 2014.

The Bibas family in focus

The Bibas family, especially little Kfir, became one of the most prominent victims of the October 7 terrorist attacks. Kfir's image was featured on many posters calling for the release of the hostages around the world. On one of these posters he stops red-haired little boy holding a pink elephant toy and smiling toothlessly straight into the camera.

The two boys and their mother were not released from Gaza in the November 2023 ceasefire, when many women and children were released.

Shiri Bibas is one of four Israeli women still being held in Gaza. The other three - Judi Weinstein Haggai, 70, Inbar Hayman, 27 and Ofra Keidar, 70 - are presumed dead by the Israeli military. Kfir and Ariel Bibas are the last remaining children in captivity.

The fate of the hostages

Both Siegel and Kalderon were kidnapped along with some of their family members, several of whom were released in November 2023 as part of the short-lived ceasefire. Their experiences provide insight into the cruel realities the hostages face.

Aviva Siegel reported that while she was in prison, Keith asked everyone to name one thing they were grateful for each day. “Imagine being in the depths of hell and still trying to find something to be grateful for every day,” she said, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

A video of Siegel in captivity was released by Hamas last April. Described in an interview with CNN Aviva seal that her husband looked pale and tired. "He is 65 years old. He was torn from his home in his pajamas by Hamas terrorists and he is still there, underground," she said.

Siegel's mother, Gladys Ruth Siegel, died in December at age 97, the family said.

Kalderon was described by his family as an avid cyclist and skilled carpenter who loved music and trips with his children.

Eugenia Yosef and Dana Karni contributed to this report.