From the Liveblog of
Saturday, February 1, 2025
Netanyahu hails today’s smooth hostage release, warns this must continue
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu releases a video statement from his office welcoming the three hostages released today from Gaza, and warns the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups that future releases must be carried out as they were today.
“Ofer, Yarden, Keith — how good it is to see you home!” he says hours after Ofer Calderon, Yarden Bibas and Keith Siegel were released from captivity in Gaza.
“After the sights we all saw on Thursday, we demanded the safe departure of our hostages in the coming releases,” he says.
On Thursday, Hamas released three Israelis and five Thai hostages. Two of the Israelis — Arbel Yehoud and Gadi Mozes — and the Thai nationals were released in an uncontrolled and dangerous handover surrounded by hundreds of masked gunmen and large, seething crowds. Netanyahu warned that he would not release Palestinian prisoners if the safe release of hostages was not guaranteed, later stating that such a promise had been given.
“As you saw today,” Netanyahu says in the video, “this firm stance has proven itself. The message was conveyed, received and carried out.”
“Israel expects that all the following rounds will also be carried out safely.”
Netanyahu says that Israel’s thoughts are with Yarden Bibas’s wide and children Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who were abducted and held separately from him. Hamas has claimed that Shiri and the two boys were killed in captivity. Israel has not confirmed this claim, but has expressed “grave concern” for their fate and has demanded information on their status.
“We will continue to act with determination to return them to Israel and achieve all the goals of the war,” Netanyahu promises.
The Times of Israel Community.