The oldest living American-Israeli hostage exited Gaza on Saturday as Hamas released three more Israelis in accordance with the terms of a ceasefire deal.
Keith Siegel, 65, was released after a seaside ceremony in Gaza City where he briefly walked across a stage and waved, a performance that Hamas has required of the hostages it has recently freed. He was wearing a hat and walked on his own, though he appeared to be supported by two Hamas terrorists as he mounted the stage and descended from it.
Viewing her husband via video for the first time since November 2023, when she was released during a previous ceasefire, Aviva Siegel exclaimed, “Here he is! He looks good!” on a video distributed by the Israeli government. She was accompanied by the couple’s son Shai, whose survival when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, was unclear to her and her husband while she was a hostage.
Subsequent footage showed Keith Siegel, who moved to Israel as a young adult from his native North Carolina, flashing a thumbs-up sign after being turned over to Israeli troops and embracing his family in the hospital.
American-Israeli returnee Keith Siegel reuniting with his wife for the first time after 484 days. 💛
— Government Press Office 🇮🇱 (@GPOIsrael) February 1, 2025
📸 IDF Spokesperson’s Unit pic.twitter.com/cml75icRQM
Siegel was released shortly after two other hostages, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon.
After 484 days in Hamas captivity, Yarden Bibas reunited with his family members — mother Pnina, father Eli and sister Ofri — at Sheba Hospital.🇮🇱
— Government Press Office 🇮🇱 (@GPOIsrael) February 1, 2025
🎥Omer Miron, GPO pic.twitter.com/WBEJxGdhpw
Bibas, 35, is the father of the only children who remain in Gaza and appeared in a hostage video in November 2023 that showed him responding to being told that his wife, Shiri, and sons Ariel and Kfir, had been killed. Israel has never confirmed Hamas’ allegation that the mother and young children were dead, but has said there are “grave concerns” about them and did not insist on their release prior to that of living men.
From IDF helicopter: Returnee Ofer Kalderon on his way to Sheba Hospital 👇🏻🎗️
— Government Press Office 🇮🇱 (@GPOIsrael) February 1, 2025
📸 IDF Spokesperson’s Unit pic.twitter.com/P3xQ27gYqt
In a video that Israel released Saturday, Bibas embraced his parents upon their reunion.
Kalderon, 54, was abducted with two of his children from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Sahar, 17, and Erez, 12, were released during the November 2023 ceasefire after 52 days in captivity. Israel released a video Saturday showing Kalderon, who greeted friends outside the hospital where he was taken, embracing all four of his children.
"That’s it. It’s over dad. You are with us now. " – Emotional reunion between Ofer Kalderon and his children at the Sheba Medical Center this morning 🎗️
— Government Press Office 🇮🇱 (@GPOIsrael) February 1, 2025
📸 Omer Miron, GPO pic.twitter.com/JVxvYDzRCj
In a change, the handover process on Saturday went smoothly and contained little of the unruly crowds that had characterized other recent hostage releases. Israeli officials had threatened to delay releasing security prisoners, which it agreed to free under the ceasefire, unless Hamas guaranteed safe and orderly handovers.
There remain 79 hostages, of whom 35 are thought to be living, including two Americans. One, Sagui Dekel-Chen, is on the list to be released during the current ceasefire, while the other, Edan Alexander, would be released only if the ceasefire is extended.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday that he would open negotiations toward an extension on Monday, the date required under the current agreement, as part of his visit to Washington, D.C., where he plans to meet with President Donald Trump.
