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Hamas has officially released an American-Israeli hostage, along with two other Israeli hostages, as part of an ongoing ceasefire prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Some shit you should know before you read: Days before President Trump took office, Israel and Hamas agreed to a multi-phase ceasefire and hostage exchange deal, aimed at securing the release of Israeli hostages while facilitating the return of Palestinian prisoners either charged or convicted by Israeli courts for various crimes. In Phase One, which began on January 19, 2025, Hamas committed to releasing 33 Israeli hostages—primarily women, children, and elderly men—in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. With each batch of hostages released, Israel has freed approximately 30 Palestinian detainees per Israeli hostage, while also allowing increased humanitarian aid into Gaza and partially withdrawing its forces from certain areas. Once the 16th day of the ceasefire is reached, negotiations for Phase Two are set to begin, though both sides remain deeply divided: Israel insists on continuing its military operations in Gaza, while Hamas demands a complete Israeli withdrawal as a condition for further releases.

What’s going on now: Among the hostages released on Saturday was Keith Siegel, a 65-year-old American-Israeli dual citizen originally from North Carolina, who had been held in Gaza for almost 500 days. Hamas abducted Siegel on October 7, 2023, when militants launched a deadly attack on Israel. He was freed in Gaza City, while two other Israeli hostages, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon, were released in Khan Younis and handed over to Red Cross personnel before being transferred to Israeli authorities. After his release, Siegel was seen waving and smiling despite losing significant weight. He was immediately flown by an Israeli Air Force helicopter to a hospital, where he reunited with his family and received medical care.
Siegel’s wife, Aviva Siegel, was also taken hostage during the October 7 attack but was released in November 2023 as part of an earlier prisoner exchange. Following Keith’s release, the Siegel family expressed gratitude to the US government, specifically thanking President Trump for securing his freedom.
In addition to the three hostages, Israel handed over dozens of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
US officials react: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt celebrated Siegel’s release. She added, “President Trump and his Administration have worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also chimed in, saying, “I cannot wait to see Keith home at last. I won’t stop working until all the hostages are home.”