Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the return of Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel back to Israel, after the trio were released by Hamas earlier today.
”Together with all the citizens of Israel and many around the world, my wife and I embrace you upon your return home,” he posted on X, adding that Israel would continue to work to bring the remaining hostages home.
Wearing grey prison tracksuits, busloads of freed Palestinian inmates arrived in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, earlier today. Many of them were greeted by loved ones, some meeting their children for the very first time. Ali Nizal, a former Palestinian prisoner released by Israel, holds his son for the first time after arriving in Ramallah today.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said today that it has completed the fourth phase of the hostage and prisoner exchange, after transferring three hostages out of Gaza to Israel. A total of 183 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli custody today.
“This marks the completion of the fourth phase of release operations,” it said, noting that it had now facilitated the total return of 18 hostages and 583 prisoners.
The Red Cross was not involved in the negotiations and acts as “a humanitarian intermediary to facilitate the agreement so that people can be return home safely.”