GAZA, Feb 01 (Reuters/AFP): Palestinian militant group Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages on Saturday, in the latest stage of a truce aimed at ending the 15-month war in Gaza.
Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli dual national and Yarden Bibas were handed over to Red Cross officials in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis before being transferred to Israel. Israeli-American Keith Siegel was handed over separately a few hours later at the Gaza City seaport.
Bibas is the father of the two youngest hostages, baby Kfir, only 9 months old when he was kidnapped by Hamas-led gunmen on Oct 7, 2023, and Ariel, who was 4 at the time of the cross-border attack.
Negotiations are due to start by Tuesday on agreements for the release of the remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in a second phase of the deal.
During the first phase of the ceasefire, 33 children, women and older male hostages as well as sick and injured, were due to be released, with more than 60 men of military age left for a second phase which must still be negotiated.
The initial six-week ceasefire, agreed with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and backed by the United States, has so far stayed on track despite a number of incidents that have led both sides to accuse the other of violating the deal.
Hamas said in November 2023 that the boys and their mother Shiri, who was taken at the same time, were killed in an Israeli airstrike. There has been no word on them since.
Bus with released Palestinians
reaches West Bank town
A bus carrying Palestinian prisoners arrived at the West Bank town of Beitunia where the inmates disembarked after they were freed from Ofer prison on Saturday, an AFP journalist reported.
The inmates departed from the Israeli prison in the occupied West Bank after three Israeli hostages were handed over by Hamas in Gaza in a fourth such exchange agreed under the ceasefire deal.
An AFP correspondent reported that the bus had reached Beitunia near Ramallah where prisoners disembarked and were greeted by cheering crowds of relatives.
UNRWA carries on aid work
despite Israeli ban, hostilities
The UN Palestinian relief agency said its humanitarian work across the occupied territories and Gaza was still ongoing on Friday despite an Israeli ban that took effect a day before and what it described as hostility towards its staff.
An Israeli law adopted in October bans operations by UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) on Israeli land - including annexed East Jerusalem - and contact with Israeli authorities from Jan 30.
