After 15 months in captivity, the newly freed Israeli hostages face a challenging reintegration process, according to former captives’ accounts.
The family of Ofer Kalderon, one of the freed Israeli hostages, expressed gratitude to the French government and former U.S. President Donald Trump for his return.
“Ofer is home after 484 days in hell,” said Sharon Kalderon, his sister-in-law, during a statement at Sheba Medical Center in Israel, where he is receiving treatment.
His brother, Nissan Kalderon, acknowledged the long and difficult recovery ahead for Ofer and his family.
Hostage Exchange Continues Amid Ceasefire Deal
Kalderon, a 54-year-old French-Israeli citizen, was released on Saturday along with Keith Siegel (American-Israeli) and Yarden Bibas (Argentinian-Israeli).
Hamas had taken him captive from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His teenage children, Sahar and Erez, and his ex-wife, Hadas, were also kidnapped but were freed during a weeklong ceasefire in 2023.
On Saturday, Hamas released three hostages, while Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth exchange round under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The first phase of the six-week truce includes the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners. It also allows Palestinians to return to northern Gaza and provides an increase in humanitarian aid to the war-torn region.
Negotiations for Second Phase of Truce Begin
Next week, Israel and Hamas will begin negotiating the second phase of the ceasefire deal. This phase aims to secure the release of the remaining hostages and potentially extend the truce indefinitely.
If no agreement is reached, the war could resume in early March, raising fears of further violence and humanitarian suffering. Stay tuned for the latest updates on the ongoing negotiations and their impact.
