{"id":2397767,"date":"2025-02-01T10:06:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-01T15:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/first-american-hostage-released-by-hamas-in-ceasefire-exchange-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-01T10:06:59","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T15:06:59","slug":"first-american-hostage-released-by-hamas-in-ceasefire-exchange-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/first-american-hostage-released-by-hamas-in-ceasefire-exchange-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"First American hostage released by Hamas in ceasefire exchange &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffirst-american-hostage-released-by-hamas-in-ceasefire-exchange-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2397767&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the release of Keith Siegel, an American-Israeli hostage \u200cheld by Hamas in Gaza, as part\u200b of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-welcomes-talibans-announcement-of-3-day-ceasefire\/\" title=\"U.S. welcomes Taliban\u2019s announcement of 3-day ceasefire\">ceasefire agreement<\/a> between Israel and Hamas. This marks the first American release following the agreement reached last month, alongside two other hostages,\u2064 Yarden Bibas and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon.The release, facilitated by the \u200dRed Cross, increases the count \u2063of hostages freed to\u200c 18,\u2064 coinciding with Israel&#8217;s release of 183 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Prime\u2062 Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the released hostages \u200dwarmly. siegel, originally taken from his home in Kfar Aza\u200b nearly 16 months ago, will be reunited with his wife, Aviva, who was also taken hostage but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/somethings-brewing-dan-scavino-posts-series-of-tweets-after-raucous-oval-office-meeting-trump-is-ready-to-take-action\/\" title=\"SOMETHING\u2019S BREWING! Dan Scavino Posts Series of Tweets After Raucous Oval Office Meeting \u2013 Trump Is Ready to Take Action\">released earlier<\/a>. The release process reportedly went smoothly, contrasting with <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">previous chaotic events<\/a>. A large crowd in Tel Aviv celebrated the event as part of ongoing efforts under &#8220;Operation Wings of\u2063 Freedom&#8221; to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawmakers-launch-task-force-to-bring-home-americans-held-hostage-overseas\/\" title=\"Lawmakers Launch Task Force To Bring Home Americans Held Hostage Overseas\">bring hostages home<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">First American hostage released by Hamas  in Gaza as part of ceasefire deal<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1963156\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>American-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Israeli<\/a> Keith Siegel and two other hostages being held in Gaza were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3306714\/hamas-release-american-hostage-ceasefire-deal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">released to the Red Cross<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hamas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Hamas<\/a> in part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Siegel&rsquo;s release marks the first American to be released since the ceasefire agreement was reached last month. His release, along with Yarden Bibas and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon&rsquo;s release, brings the total number of hostages released to 18 as Israel began releasing 183 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Welcome home, Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel. Together with all the citizens of Israel and many around the world, my wife and I embrace you as you return home,&rdquo; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Telegram message.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance-and-economy\/3242203\/what-items-affected-trump-tariffs-canada-mexico\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PRICES ON THESE ITEMS COULD BE AFFECTED BY TRUMP TARIFFS ON MEXICO, CANADA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Siegel was taken from his home in kibbutz Kfar Aza nearly 16 months ago. A native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, he will be reunited with his wife, Aviva, who was also taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, before being released a month later.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You know, I wake up every morning, and I tell myself, be strong and talk for Keith. I&rsquo;m here talking for Keith. I&rsquo;m here talking for all the hostages that are still in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Gaza\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Gaza<\/a>, underneath the ground. And believe me that I&rsquo;m sure that they&rsquo;re screaming, &lsquo;Just get me out of here,&rsquo;&rdquo; she said during an NBC News interview last November.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Just figure yourself lying underneath the ground on a filthy, dirty mattress for days, and you have to keep silent. &hellip; And when they torture somebody that you love, like they tortured Keith, you have to just keep quiet,&rdquo; she continued.<\/p>\n<p>The exchange between the Red Cross and Hamas was orderly according to the <em>Associated Press<\/em>, in contrast to the chaotic release on Thursday when armed Hamas militants appeared to struggle to hold back a crowd during a hostage release. In Saturday&rsquo;s releases, masked and armed militants stood in lines as the hostages walked onto a stage and waved before being led off and handed over to the Red Cross.<\/p>\n<p>In Tel Aviv&rsquo;s Hostages Square, thousands of people gathered to watch the releases being transmitted live on a large screen, waving signs, cheering, and crying.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In exchange, all 183 prisoners that were due to be freed from Israeli prisons Saturday have been released, an Israeli prison services spokesperson said, after Hamas earlier freed the three hostages.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Prison Service concludes the fourth round of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/terrorism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">terrorist<\/a> releases, as part of Operation &lsquo;Wings of Freedom&rsquo; to return the hostages home,&rdquo; the authority said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1963156\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1963156\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First American hostage, Keith Siegel, released by Hamas under ceasefire deal<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2397768,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keith-seigel.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[13427,13022,40705,32219],"class_list":["post-2397767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-ceasefire","tag-hamas","tag-hostage-release","tag-middle-east-conflict"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/keith-seigel.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2397767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2397767"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2397767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2397771,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2397767\/revisions\/2397771"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2397768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2397767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2397767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2397767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}