Hamas frees 3 Israeli captives for 183 Palestinian prisoners in fourth swap under Gaza ceasefire

CAIRO – 1 February 2025: Hamas released three male Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of the fourth prisoner exchange with Israel under the recently brokered ceasefire in Gaza, which took effect on January 19.

In return, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners, with the next swap scheduled for next Saturday as part of the current initial phase of the agreement.

Hamas fighters handed over 35-year-old Israeli-Argentinian Yarden Bibas and 54-year-old Israeli-French Ofer Kalderon to the Red Cross in Khan Younis of southern Gaza, before handing over 65-year-old dual US-Israeli national Keith Siegel in Gaza City.

 

Meanwhile, the fourth batch of Palestinian releases included 18 prisoners serving life sentences and 54 prisoners with lengthy sentences.

In the West Bank, Israeli authorities released more than 30 Palestinian prisoners, according to media reports. They arrived in Ramallah amid large public celebrations despite Israeli threats to suppress any joyful manifestations.

Meanwhile, 111 Palestinians from Gaza, who were arrested after October 7, 2023, were released and arrived in the enclave for initial treatment.

The prisoners appeared in poor health with frail bodies.

Since the ceasefire began, Hamas and Israel have conducted four prisoner exchanges, swapping a total of 18 captives—13 Israelis and 5 Thai nationals—in return for Israel's release of 583 Palestinian prisoners, including dozens serving life sentences.

Also, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza following Israel's approval under the terms of the agreement, with a surge of humanitarian aid being delivered daily to the enclave.

In a significant milestone, Egypt began receiving Palestinian patients and injured individuals from Gaza on Saturday, admitting 103 Palestinians through the Rafah border crossing, including 50 injured and eight individuals to be deported from Palestinian territories, according to Al-Qahera News TV channel.

The international community, particularly Arab and Muslim countries, has been advocating for the solidification of the ceasefire in Gaza and supporting a comprehensive effort for reconstruction in the enclave.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and US President Donald Trump on Saturday held a “constructive” dialogue on Saturday regarding the importance of solidifying the ceasefire in Gaza, according to a statement from Egyptian presidential spokesman Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy.… pic.twitter.com/SpeyEks12c

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) February 1, 2025

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and US President Donald Trump held discussions on Saturday regarding the importance of maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza, as stated by the Egyptian Presidency.

The two leaders emphasized the significance of continuing the implementation of the first and second phases of the ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US.

The ongoing war in Gaza has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, injured over 111,000, and displaced the majority of the population.