The three were handed over to IDF and Shin Bet forces and crossed into Israeli territory earlier in the day. Upon arrival, they were taken to a hospital for medical examinations and further evaluation.
Keith Siegel Returns Home
Approximately an hour after Bibas and Kalderon arrived, Keith Siegel was transferred to the Red Cross and began his journey toward IDF and Shin Bet forces inside Gaza. At around 11:25 AM, he crossed into Israel and was taken to a designated reception center in the Gaza border area, where he underwent an initial medical assessment and was reunited with his family.
Ofer Kalderon En Route to Hospital
At approximately 10:46 AM, Ofer Kalderon was airlifted by an Israeli Air Force helicopter to a hospital for further medical care.
Yarden Bibas Reunited with His Family
Meanwhile, Yarden Bibas met his father and sister at the initial reception center, marking an emotional moment after months in captivity.
Hostages Return to Israeli Soil
At 9:09 AM, hostages Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas, escorted by IDF and Shin Bet forces, crossed into Israeli territory on their way to the initial reception center near the Gaza border, where they underwent medical evaluations.
At 8:46 AM, the Red Cross confirmed that two hostages had been transferred to their custody and were being escorted toward IDF and Shin Bet forces inside Gaza. Around twenty minutes later, Kalderon and Bibas were accompanied by an elite IDF unit and Shin Bet operatives as they made their way to Israel.
President of Israel Speaks on Their Return
President Isaac Herzog commented on the hostages’ return: “Everyone deserves time to heal and rebuild their lives, and all the hostages deserve to come home as soon as possible. We will not rest, we will not stop until we bring back all of our brothers and sisters from the hell of captivity in Gaza—until the very last one!”
Watch the Hostages Being Transfered from the Red Cross to the IDF:
Yarden Bibas: Fighting for His Family’s Survival
Yarden Bibas, 34, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was kidnapped on October 7 along with his wife Shiri and their two children, four-year-old Ariel and nine-month-old Kfir. A harrowing video captured Shiri wrapping her children in a blanket as they were taken into captivity.
Hamas initially claimed that Shiri and the children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, but later, Israeli security forces released footage proving they were alive in the early days of the war.
Bibas, a professional welder, is known as a warm and sensitive individual with a deep love for music. During his captivity, a video was released showing him alive, pleading for his release and the release of his family. Freed hostage Dina Moshe later reported encountering Bibas in Hamas tunnels, where he had been placed in a cell after resisting his captors.
Keith Siegel: A New Chapter in Freedom
Keith Siegel, a physician, was also abducted during the October 7 attack on Nir Oz. He endured over a year in Hamas captivity. His family waged a relentless public campaign for his release, and now, at long last, they have welcomed him home.
Ofer Kalderon: The Father Left Behind
Ofer Kalderon, 53, was kidnapped along with his children, 16-year-old Sahar and 12-year-old Erez. While his children were freed in an earlier hostage deal, Ofer remained in captivity.
Watch Ofer Reunited With His Family:
Kalderon, a skilled carpenter specializing in kitchen design, is also a mountain biking enthusiast. His family continues to fight for his full recovery and for justice for his children.
Hostage Families Forum Responds
The Hostage Families Forum released the following statement: “We have a sacred duty and moral obligation to bring all of our brothers and sisters home. We will not stop, we will not relent, until every last hostage is returned—whether for rehabilitation or, in the case of those who perished, for a proper burial in their homeland.”
The families have also requested privacy and have asked not to be approached directly at this time.
