Keith Siegel, Ofer Kalderon, Yarden Bibas released from Hamas captivity
Bibas’ wife and children remain in captivity; Israel has pressed Hamas for clarification on their statuses

Mayan Toaf/GPO
Released hostage Ofer Kalderon is reunited with his children at Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel, Feb. 1st. 2025
Israelis Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas and Israeli-American Keith Siegel were released from Hamas captivity in Gaza on Saturday, 484 days after they were kidnapped during the Hamas terror attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
The men were transferred to the Red Cross and then to IDF forces who took them back to Israel as part of the first phase of hostage releases, as per the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Bibas’ wife, Shiri, and his two young children, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 2, remained in captivity. Israeli officials said the fates of Shiri and the children had not yet been confirmed, demanding earlier this week that Hamas clarify their statuses. They are also included in the first phase of releases being conducted over six weeks.
Yarden Bibas’ family said in a statement following his release, “Yarden is home. A quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months. There are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice. Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete. Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity, and returned to an unbearable reality.”
The releases on Saturday were conducted in a more orderly fashion than the chaotic scenes during Thursday’s hostage releases that prompted Israel to register with mediators its concerns over the safety of hostages during the handover.
In exchange for the three prisoners, Israel agreed to release 183 Palestinian prisoners.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters said in a statement, “Their release today brings a ray of light in the darkness, offering hope and demonstrating the triumph of the human spirit. Yet their return also reminds us that 79 hostages remain in Gaza, still waiting to be saved.”
“We will not rest until every phase of this deal is completed and every hostage is returned – the living to reunite with their loved ones, and the deceased for proper burial with dignity,” it added.
“Finally, after 484 long, terrifying days and nights, full of immense worry for our father, we can breathe again,” the family of Siegel said in a statement. “Thank you president Trump, for bringing our father back to us. There are now 79 hostages who are also waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. Our hope rests with you.”
“We also wish to thank the governments of Israel and the United States for bringing this blessed deal to fruition—a deal that prioritizes human life and embodies Jewish and Israeli values,” the family said. “My father was cruelly abducted, and today he has returned to us. As citizens, it is our duty to ensure that all the hostages return—those who are alive to their families for healing and rehabilitation, and those who were murdered to receive a proper burial in the land of Israel.
“Today, we finally embrace Ofer, seeing and truly comprehending that he is here with us,” said the family of Kalderon. “We have witnessed how, through extraordinary mental strength, he survived this hell. Ofer endured months in a nightmare, and we are proud of his ability to survive and hold onto the hope of embracing his children again.”
“A challenging rehabilitation period lies ahead, but we know that with our combined strength, abundant love, and a united, supportive family, we will do everything necessary to help him stand on his feet again,” the statement continued. “We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who stood by us, helped, supported, and encouraged us. In the midst of this emotional moment, we must remember all the hostages who remain behind. We have no right to stop until all 79 hostages return home – whether for rehabilitation or for burial.”