Skip next section Hamas hands over 2 hostages to Red Cross
02/01/2025February 1, 2025
Hamas hands over 2 hostages to Red Cross
The Islamist Palestinian militant group has handed over two Israeli hostages held in Gaza since October 7, 2023 to the Red Cross, as part of a fragile ceasefire deal.
Television footage from Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip showed two hostages being handed over to the Red Cross.
They are Yarden Bibas and French- Israeli Ofer Kalderon.
It is yet unclear when the third hostage, Keith Siegel, who is also a US citizen, will be handed over.
Red Cross vehicles had earlier arrived in Khan Younis to observe the hostages’ release. In return, dozens of Palestinians are set to be released from Israeli prisons.
A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 during the ceasefire’s first six weeks.
https://p.dw.com/p/4pvAe
Skip next section Rafah crossing to open for medical evacuations from Gaza to Egypt
02/01/2025February 1, 2025
Rafah crossing to open for medical evacuations from Gaza to Egypt
The Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt is expected to reopen Saturday for medical evacuations, with a group of injured Palestinians expected to be transported across the border for treatment.
Rafah will be opened initially for 50 injured civilians militants and 50 wounded civilians, along with the people escorting them.
The Egyptian Health Ministry said in a statement that it is “ready to provide all medical services for the Palestinian injured people.”
The reopening will be monitored by a civilian mission from the .
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said on Friday that “the EU’s civilian border mission deploys today to the Rafah crossing at the request of the Palestinians and the Israelis.”
“It will support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including those who need medical care,” she said on X.
The crossing has been closed since May 2024 after Israeli forces of the border. The crossing serves as one of the main entry points of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
https://p.dw.com/p/4pv9O
Skip next section Hamas to release 3 Israeli hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinians
02/01/2025February 1, 2025
Hamas to release 3 Israeli hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinians
Militant groups in are to release three Israelis in exchange for 183 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
The are Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel, who also holds US citizenship, and Ofer Kalderon, who also has French nationality, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group.
In return for the release of the three Israeli hostages, Israel will release 183 prisoners, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club advocacy group said
This is more than double the initially reported figure of 90.
Saturday’s swap is the this week and the fourth since the ceasefire began.
Since the ceasefire began in mid-January 19, Gaza militants have released 15 hostages after holding them in captivity since their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
kh,rmt/wmr (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)
https://p.dw.com/p/4pv9N
The post Middle East updates: Two Israeli hostages released by Hamas appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
