Hamas names three Israeli hostages set for release on February 1

The armed wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, has named three Israeli hostages set to be released on February 1, as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement with Israel.

On January 31, the group's spokesperson, Abu Ubaida, announced that Al-Qassam Brigades would release three Israeli captives as part of the Al-Aqsa Flood prisoner exchange deal, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The captives, Ofer Calderon, Keith Samuel Siegel, and Yarden Bibas, are scheduled for release on February 1, 2025.

The first phase of the agreement, which is expected to last 42 days, will see the release of 33 Israeli captives in exchange for between 1,700 and 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

On January 30, Hamas freed three Israeli and five Thai hostages from Gaza, while Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners. It marked the third such exchange since the ceasefire took effect on January 19.

Israeli bombardment and military operations in Gaza have killed more than 47,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023.

By Aghakazim Guliyev