Israeli-American Keith Siegel and two other hostages freed

Israeli father Yarden Bibas, French Israeli Ofer Kalderon, and American Israeli Keith Siegel, were reunited with their loved ones on Saturday after spending more than 480 days in captivity. The three men were among roughly 250 people kidnapped by the terror group Hamas during the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. They were released as part of the first phase of the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

What was their condition? All three men appeared able to walk and in generally good condition, according to videos released on social media by Bring Them Home Now!, a forum for hostages’ families.

Keith Siegel’s wife, Aviva, was also kidnapped along with her husband during the Oct. 7 attacks. She was released 51 days later, during the first ceasefire that took place in November 2023. When WORLD spoke with Aviva last November, she said her husband was unresponsive when Hamas forcibly separated them and sent her home. On Saturday, the Israeli government released a video of Aviva smiling while being reunited with her husband.

What about the rest of the Bibas family? Yarden Bibas was reunited with his father and sister, but there is still no word on the status of his wife, Shiri, and children, 2-year-old Kfir and 5-year-old Ariel. They were also kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attacks, but their status is currently unknown. Shortly after Yarden’s return, the Bibas family issued a statement saying Yarden was home, but that his home was incomplete without his family. They asked for the public to respect his privacy while he grieved.