American Israeli hostage set to be released from Gaza by Hamas

An American Israeli hostage is scheduled to be released by Hamas militants on Saturday, along with the father of the youngest captive held in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli organization representing families of hostages held in the Gaza Strip was celebrating the news Friday that three male hostages were going to be released.

This would be the fourth round of hostage releases in the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, which aims to end the devastating war in Gaza sparked by Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023, as well as release dozens of hostages taken by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinians held by Israel.

Keith Siegel, 65, an American Israeli originally from Chapel Hill, N.C., was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. Aviva Siegel was released during a brief cease-fire period in November 2023, and since then has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and the other hostages remaining in Gaza.

Hamas and Israeli officials say Siegel will be released alongside Israeli hostage Yarden Bibas, 35, and French Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54.

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Kalderon was captured by the militants from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his two children. His ex-wife, Hadas, was also taken captive. The two children and Hadas Kalderon were released during the hostage exchange in November.

News that Yarden Bibas would be among those released brought renewed attention to the uncertain fate of the Bibas family. Hamas claims his wife, Shiri, and his two sons, Kfir and Ariel, were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not confirmed their deaths but says it’s gravely concerned for their welfare.

Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said recently that the military was seriously concerned about the fate of the mother and her two boys.

Relatives of Yarden Bibas say their “emotions are mixed” as they prepare to welcome him home from captivity without his children.

“Our Yarden is set to return tomorrow and we are all so excited, but Shiri and the children have not yet returned. The emotions are mixed, and we are facing very complex days,” wrote their relatives in a statement Friday.

“Please protect Yarden’s heart,” they wrote. “We love you, dear people of Israel and our amazing supporters from all over the world.”

The family — and particularly the orange-haired toddler Kfir, just 9 months old when captured — have become household names in Israel, with the color orange coming to symbolize the family’s plight.