The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced early this morning the release of two of the three Israeli hostages that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) had confirmed for this Saturday.
“According to information provided by the Red Cross, two hostages have been handed over to it and are on their way to IDF and Shin Bet forces in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF explained in a post on its account on the social network X.
Live television broadcasts showed Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Calderon, 54, being handed over to representatives of the Red Cross in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
This will be the fourth exchange between Hamas and Israel under a deal that includes the release of 33 hostages in exchange for more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. More than 65 others are still being held hostage in Gaza, although many are believed to be dead. Their bodies could be released in a second phase of the deal.
