According to the deal, fighting will pause in Gaza for six weeks, and dozens of Israeli hostages, as well as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, will be freed.
Hamas handed two hostages over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday as part of its ceasefire deal with Israel.
The militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, in a highly stage-managed and orderly handover to the Red Cross. Both had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
WATCH HEREAnother hostage, American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, was also released Saturday.
The truce, which began Jan. 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP
The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.
A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truce’s initial six weeks. Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack or have died in captivity.
