KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — The ceasefire in Gaza saw its smoothest exchange yet of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, and the crucial Rafah border crossing reopened two days before discussions on the truce’s far more difficult second phase begin.
And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, giving him a chance to showcase his ties to Israel’s closest ally and press his case for what should come next after 15 months of war.
The ceasefire’s second phase calls for the release of remaining hostages and an indefinite extension of the truce in the deadliest and most destructive war ever between Israel and Hamas. The fighting could resume in early March if an agreement isn’t reached.
Hamas on Saturday freed three male hostages, and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth such exchange. Another exchange is planned for next Saturday.
Terrorists handed Argentinian-Israeli Yarden Bibas and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, looking pale and thin, was handed over in Gaza City.
All three were taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the war. Eighteen hostages have now been released since the ceasefire began on Jan. 19.
The latest releases were quick and orderly, in contrast to chaotic scenes on Thursday when armed terrorists appeared to struggle to hold back a crowd. On Saturday, the terrorists stood in rows as the hostages walked onto a stage and waved.
Hamas has sought to show it remains in control in Gaza even though a number of its military leaders have been killed.
A bus later departed Ofer Military Prison with over two dozen Palestinian prisoners bound for the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Israeli Prison Authority said all 183 prisoners set for release had been freed. In another sign of progress in the ceasefire, they included 111 who were arrested after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack but who weren’t involved in it. They had been held without trial and were released to Gaza. Seven serving life sentences were transferred to Egypt.
Siegel, 65, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva, who was released during a brief 2023 ceasefire.
There were sighs of relief and cheers as kibbutz members watched Siegel’s release.
“You can see that he’s lost a lot of weight, but still he’s walking and talking and you can feel that it’s still him. And one of the first things he told us is that he’s still vegan,” said Siegel’s niece, Tal Wax.
The release of Bibas, 35, brought renewed attention to the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were 4 years old and 9 months old when they were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Kfir was the youngest of the roughly 250 people who were taken captive on Oct. 7, and his plight came to represent the helplessness and anger in Israel.
Kalderon, 54, was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His two children, Erez and Sahar, were taken alongside him and released during the earlier ceasefire.
“I am here. I am here. I didn’t give up,” Kalderon said as they embraced.
Also on Saturday, 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children were leaving Gaza for treatment through the Rafah border crossing to Egypt as the enclave’s sole exit opened for the first time since Israel captured it nine months ago.
