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Hamas releases three Israeli captives in Gaza’s Khan Younis and Gaza City
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Hamas hands over Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas to the Red Cross in Gaza’s Khan Younis, while Keith Siegel is to be freed in Gaza City.
The Palestinian group Hamas has released three Israeli captives in two separate handover rites, in the latest stage of a gradual exchange under a ceasefire deal that ended the 15-month Israeli genocide in Gaza.
French-Israeli national Ofer Kalderon and Israeli citizen Yarden Bibas were handed over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Al Jazeera TV showed on Saturday.
American-Israeli national Keith Siegel was handed over about an hour later to the same Red Cross officials in Gaza City in the northern part of the enclave.
Hundreds of Hamas fighters were seen lining up and managing the crowd in both Khan Younis and Gaza, where Kalderon, Bibas and Siegel were separately handed to representatives of the International Red Cross.
Kalderon and Bibas were seen waving and greeting the crowd of Palestinians who watched the handover.
Siegel was later seen presented by Hamas on stage in Gaza City before he was handed over to the Red Cross.
So far, Kalderon and Bigas have arrived back in Israel, where they will undergo initial medical check-up before meeting their families.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, who is reporting from the site of the release in Khan Younis, described the handover as “well-organised” compared to the previous releases.
“The scene is quite incredible, without stampeding observed before. Usually, such handover are made under very tense circumstances,” he said.
Luciano Zaccara, a professor at Qatar University and an expert on Middle East politics, said the latest release of captives proved that Hamas is still “able to organise and manage the situation in Gaza” despite the months-long Israeli bombardment.
“Even though Israel claimed that Hamas has been destroyed, the scenes we have witnessed give you an idea that Hamas is still there,” he told Al Jazeera.
“The exchange is moving without delay and we hope that the second phase of the ceasefire will start as planned.”
As part of the ceasefire deal entered on January 19, Israel is also expected to free 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth such exchange.
Also on Saturday, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is likely to be reopened to allow sick and seriously-injured Palestinians to finally get treatment.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, who is reporting from Gaza City, said the opening is expected to happen later on Saturday, allowing an initial 50 sick Palestinians to be evacuated to Gaza. Each Palestinian will also be allowed to be accompanied by three family members.
“It is very significant” as it will also allow the delivery of humanitarian good to Palestinians in Gaza, Mahmoud said.
Gershon Baskin, an Israeli columnist living in West Jerusalem, noted in an interview wiht Al Jazeera that there is “very little talk about the opening” of the Rafah crossing within Israel.
Negotiations are due to start by Tuesday on agreements for the release of more than 60 remaining captives, the release of more Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in a second phase of the deal.
The initial six-week ceasefire, agreed with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and backed by the United States, has so far stayed on track despite a number of incidents that have led both sides to accuse the other of violating the deal.
The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 captives, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s campaign in response has destroyed much of the densely populated Gaza Strip and killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities.
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A gunman who fatally shot a Canadian tourist and wounded more than a dozen others atop a historic pyramid in Mexico on Monday has been identified, according to officials.
Authorities identified the gunman as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso, a Mexican national, according to a state official who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly.
Jasso later died by suicide after turning the gun on himself, and security officials found a gun, a knife and ammunition. Authorities said he acted alone, with the State of Mexico government confirming he was the sole assailant on Monday night.
Officials said seven of the victims were struck by gunfire, while others were hurt in the chaos as people scrambled to get down from the pyramids, with some falling during the panic.
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The Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun are seen along with smaller structures lining the Avenue of the Dead in Teotihuacan, Mexico, on March 19, 2020. A gunman killed a Canadian tourist and injured several others before taking his own life at the popular site, authorities said Monday. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)
Those hospitalized included tourists from several countries, among them the United States, Colombia, Russia, Brazil and Canada, authorities said. The victims ranged in age from 6 to 61.
Footage circulating in local media appears to show the suspect positioned atop the structure as visitors rushed for safety below, with gunfire echoing across the site.
Police and forensic workers stand on a pyramid after authorities said a gunman opened fire in Teotihuacan, Mexico, Monday, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
The Teotihuacan complex, located just outside Mexico City, is one of the country’s most visited archaeological landmarks, drawing millions of international visitors each year to its towering pre-Hispanic structures.
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The shooting took place shortly after 11:30 a.m. when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon.
Security measures at the site have changed in recent years, with routine entry screenings no longer consistently in place, according to a local guide.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch with the Canadian Embassy.
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“What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” she wrote.
Anita Anand, Canada’s foreign affairs minister, said on X that as a “result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán” and that her “thoughts are with their family and loved ones.”
People visit the Pyramid of the Sun in the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan near Mexico City, Mexico, on March 21, 2024, following the spring equinox. (Henry Romero/Reuters)
Later in the evening, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson also expressed “deep concern” and sadness over the deaths and numerous injuries, and said in a post on X that the U.S. is “ready to provide support as needed while Mexican authorities continue their investigation.”
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The National Institute of Anthropology and History said in a statement that the Teotihuacán archaeological site will remain closed until further notice.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Norway has pushed back against criticism from US President Donald Trump over what he described as “zero” European support in the conflict with Iran.
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“NATO is a defensive alliance. It is not an attack alliance,” Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Euronews’ Europe Today flagship morning show.
Eide said NATO members are focused on safeguarding key global trade routes, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. “NATO countries are doing something, but it’s not as a party to a conflict,” he added.
Trump has repeatedly criticised NATO allies for not backing Washington in the Iran conflict. He raised the issue again during a White House meeting earlier this month with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Eide argued that there had been no prior preparation or consensus within the alliance. As a result, there is “very limited appetite” among member states to join the war.
He said that while both the US and Iran may have reasons to end the conflict, “the sides are far apart”, with negotiations hindered by opposing demands.
On Monday, Trump said the United States would maintain its blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran agrees to a peace deal.
Still, Eide pointed to signs of “some progress”, noting the broader global impact of the conflict. “This is not only an issue for the two sides, but it affects the whole world economy,” he said.
Addressing a European diplomatic push to establish a Palestinian state, Eide reiterated support for a two-state solution based on long-standing United Nations principles. However, he acknowledged that such an outcome is “not around the corner”.
He added that a two-state solution is also in Israel’s interest, describing it as “the only viable solution for real peace in a very troubled region”.
Norway, alongside Spain and Ireland, recognised the State of Palestine in 2024.
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