Palestinian militant group Hamas handed over two Israeli hostages to the Red Cross on Saturday (February 1), with a third expected to be transferred later in the morning.
Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli dual national was the first one to be handed over to a Red Cross official in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, in the latest stage of a phased exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Yarden Bibas followed.
U.S.-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel is expected to be handed over in another location later on Saturday.
Israel is expected to transfer 182 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, Hamas said.
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.
The Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostage, according to Israeli figures.
Israel's campaign in response has destroyed much of the densely populated Gaza Strip and killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities
(Production: Hussam Al Masri, Heba Fouad, Emilie Madi)