Incredible moment American held hostage in Gaza for 15 months is reunited with his family

American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel has been freed arsenic portion of the ongoing ceasefire betwixt Israel and Hamas. 

Looking frail but determined, Seigel, 65, was handed implicit to Red Cross officials successful Gaza City connected Saturday morning, marking a important milestone successful the truce negotiations.

Israelis successful Tel Aviv cheered and shed tears arsenic Seigel was handed to the Red Cross.

His merchandise follows that of Yarden Bibas and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon successful akin scenes successful the municipality of Khan Younis earlier and comes amid increasing planetary unit to unafraid the state of remaining hostages and solidify a lasting bid agreement.

Siegel, primitively from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led onslaught connected Israel. 

His wife, Aviva, was released during a little ceasefire successful 2023, but his prolonged captivity near his household and supporters successful agonizing uncertainty. 

As kibbutz members gathered to witnesser his release, determination were some tears of joyousness and lingering sorrow for those inactive held captive.

'You tin spot that he's mislaid a batch of weight, but he's walking and talking, and you tin inactive spot the Keith we know,' said Siegel's niece, Tal Wax. 'One of the archetypal things helium told america is that he's inactive vegan.'

The ceasefire agreement, which has facilitated aggregate exchanges of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, is present entering a captious 2nd phase. 

There were sighs of alleviation and cheers successful a surviving country wherever members of the kibbutz watched Siegel's release. Many of those successful the country were household friends, who applauded upon seeing his face, portion immoderate teared up.

Siegel is 1 of the highest-profile hostages, present a household sanction successful Israel aft his woman Aviva Siegel, besides captured successful the Hamas attack, mounted a nationalist run to bring him location aft her ain merchandise from captivity successful November 2023. 

Speaking aft his release, his woman Aviva said: 'The large time has arrived. Yes. I americium happy. I americium happy. determination is nary 1 happier than me. I americium acceptable with everything and I'm going to conscionable him!'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is acceptable to conscionable U.S. President Donald Trump astatine the White House adjacent week to sermon the aboriginal of the truce and the destiny of remaining captives. 

While advancement has been made, the fragile bid remains astatine risk, with the anticipation of renewed struggle if further negotiations fail.

On the Palestinian side, much than 2 twelve prisoners were released from Ofer Military Prison and transported to the West Bank, wherever they were met with jubilant celebrations. 

Many erstwhile detainees appeared visibly weakened, their families tearfully welcoming them home.

'Certainly, it's an indescribable feeling, some bittersweet and joyful, arsenic we permission down truthful galore inactive successful captivity,' said Mohammad Kaskus, a precocious released prisoner.

Meanwhile, planetary mediators, including officials from Qatar and Egypt, are moving to widen the ceasefire beyond its archetypal timeline. 

The reopening of the Rafah borderline crossing has allowed important humanitarian assistance to participate Gaza, offering a little respite for war-weary civilians.

 On Saturday, 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children were evacuated for urgent aesculapian treatment, underscoring the dire humanitarian situation successful the region.

The ceasefire's six-week archetypal signifier has seen the merchandise of 33 Israeli hostages successful speech for astir 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. 

However, challenges remain, arsenic Israel insists connected dismantling Hamas portion the militant radical refuses to escaped the remaining hostages without a implicit cessation of hostilities and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Israel says it is committed to destroying Hamas. The panic radical says it won't merchandise the remaining hostages without an extremity to the warfare and a afloat Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

About 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed successful the onslaught that sparked the war.

More than 47,000 Palestinians person been killed successful Israel's retaliatory aerial and crushed offensive, implicit fractional women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't say however galore of the dormant were militants.

The Israeli subject says it killed implicit 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.

It blames civilian deaths connected Hamas due to the fact that its fighters run successful residential neighborhoods utilizing its colonisation arsenic quality shields.