Hamas frees 3 Israeli captives in exchange for 183 Palestinians
What's the story
The Palestinian group Hamas has freed three Israeli captives in the fourth prisoner exchange under a ceasefire deal.
The released Israelis are French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, Israeli Yarden Bibas, and American-Israeli Keith Siegel.
In exchange, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners from its jails.
The swap comes as part of a ceasefire agreement after 15 months of conflict between Israel and Gaza.
Prisoner reunion
Released Israelis undergo medical checks, Palestinians reunite with families
The freed Israelis were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza before being taken to Israel for medical examinations.
Meanwhile, the release of Palestinian prisoners began as soon as the Israelis arrived in their homeland.
The first batch of 32 Palestinians reached Ramallah, where their families welcomed them.
Among those freed were 73 Palestinians serving long-term or lifetime sentences in Israeli prisons.
Ongoing talks
Ceasefire deal continues with more negotiations planned
This is the fourth prisoner exchange under the ceasefire deal reached on January 19.
Approximately 4,500 Palestinians are still imprisoned in Israel, including 310 under administrative detention without trial.
Negotiations will continue for the release of more captives and further Palestinian prisoners.
The ceasefire, mediated by Egypt and Qatar and backed by the United States, has mostly held despite some incidents.
Border reopening
Rafah border crossing to reopen, facilitating aid delivery
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is likely to reopen under the ceasefire agreement. This will enable sick Palestinians to get treatment and help deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The conflict started with a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,100 Israelis and took over 250 captives.
Israel's military response caused widespread destruction in Gaza and over 47,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's health authorities.