Hamas released three hostages in the Gaza Strip on Saturday as part of its ceasefire deal with Israel, and Israel began releasing some of the dozens of prisoners due to be freed in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
One of those hostages is Keith Siegel, 65, from Chapel Hill, South Carolina. His brother, Dr. David Siegel, is a doctor at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
The Israeli military said in a statement that he was headed to a reception point at a military base, where he would be met by family members before heading to a hospital.
Keith Siegel was abducted with his wife, Aviva Siegel from a kibbutz during the October 2023 attack in Israel by Hamas. His wife was released during a ceasefire last November, and has been campaigning for the release of her husband and other hostages.
Siegel, a U.S. and Israeli dual-citizen, is the first American to be released as part of the ceasefire agreement. There are six other U.S. citizens being held hostage in Gaza, two of whom are still thought to be alive, according to Israel.
This story includes reporting from the Associated Press and NPR.
