Hamas freed three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The six-week phase one truce calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, as well as the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.
Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely.
The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.
Palestinian health authorities in Gaza also announced that the long-shuttered Rafah border crossing with Egypt would reopen on Saturday for thousands of Palestinians who desperately need medical care — a breakthrough that signals the ceasefire agreement continues to gain traction.
The family of Yarden Bibas says “there are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice,” after his release from Hamas’ captivity on Saturday.
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Bibas, 35, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oc. 7, 2023.
His wife, Shiri, and their two young boys, Ariel and Kfir, were also taken that day and are still captive in Gaza. It is unknown if they are still alive.
“Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete,” the family wrote. “Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity, and returned to an unbearable reality.”
The family said it “continues with hope” and made a plea to the public to keep pressing for the release of all remaining hostages.
Palestinians who were sentenced to years in prison over deadly attacks against Israelis and who were released into the occupied West Bank described harsh conditions, beatings and other abuse in prison.
Many appeared frail as they reveled in their homecoming on Saturday.
The Israeli Prison Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In related news, powerful Arab nations rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League released a joint statement on Saturday following a meeting of foreign ministers.
They said they reject any plans to move Palestinians out of their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
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