Hamas releases 3 Israeli hostages, Israel says 2nd phase truce talks start Monday

Fighters of the Al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas, stand guard as Israeli hostages get delivered to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza, February 1, 2025. /VCG

Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages in the fourth batch of the first phase of the prisoner exchange and ceasefire deal. In return, Israel freed 183 Palestinian detainees and allowed 50 wounded and sick Palestinians to leave Gaza for medical treatment abroad.

The handover of hostages took place in two locations: Khan Younis in southern Gaza and Gaza City in the north.

Hamas' armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, transferred 65-year-old Keith Shmonsel Segal, an Israeli-American citizen, to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza.

Segal, dressed in dark clothing and carrying two envelopes containing gifts for him and his wife, waved to onlookers before being escorted to Israel.

American-Israeli Keith Shmonsel Segal arrives at the Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel, with the Israeli flag draped across his shoulders, February 1, 2025. /VCG

Earlier in the day, Al-Qassam fighters led Ofer Calderon, an Israeli-French citizen, and Yarden Bibas to a platform built on the ruins of a destroyed house, where images of Hamas leaders were displayed.

They were then handed over individually to the ICRC representatives.

The process unfolded under strict organizational control, accompanied by a military parade of armed Hamas militants.

Unlike the chaotic scenes of previous releases, the exchange was tightly managed, with heavily armed men securing the area to prevent a repeat of the large crowds that had gathered during the last transfer.

The release is part of a broader ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States on January 15.

Under the deal, the first phase, lasting 42 days, will see 33 Israeli hostages freed in exchange for 1,890 Palestinian prisoners.