Three young Franco-Israelis are among the group of eleven hostages released by Hamas on Monday, November 27, as part of the agreement between the Palestinian Islamist movement and Israel. French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “extremely happy” after announcing the release of Erez and Sahar Kalderon, 12 and 16, and Eitan Yahalomi, 12. All three were taken hostage during the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7.
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For her part, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna confided her “great relief” and recalled that “France’s first priority” is to “free everyone”. [leurs] compatriots” still in the hands of the Palestinian movement and mentioned “five missing Frenchmen”.
Hostage releases could continue as Qatar has announced a two-day extension to the ceasefire, which is due to end on Tuesday evening. A break confirmed by Hamas but not Israel.
The Kalderon family’s lawyers told Agence France-Presse (AFP) of their “great joy” after learning that the three teenagers were “now free and on Israeli territory,” even if ” [était] incomplete” because Ofer (53 years old), the father of Erez and Sahar, “is still left at this point.”[ait] in the hands of Hamas and beyond[ait] “Hostages,” Patrick Klugman explained. Erez and Sahar are French through their mother Hadas Kalderon, who herself lost her mother Carmela Dan (80 years old) and her niece Noya (13 years old) in the attack.
50 Israelis released since ceasefire began
The families of the three young hostages released Monday made aliyah, or “law of return,” and offered the Jews and their relatives Israeli citizenship, but maintained “multiple and diverse” ties to France, said lawyer Sacha Ghozlan, the was also interviewed by AFP.
“We remain fully mobilized to secure the release of Elya Toledano and Mia Shem,” he added, two other Franco-Israelis whose fate still depends on Hamas “negotiations.”
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The eleven hostages released on Monday evening, eight of whom are minors, all have dual nationality: In addition to the three young Franco-Israelis, six have Argentine nationality and two others have German nationality, said Qatar, a mediator in the conflict.
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These releases bring to fifty the number of Israeli hostages who have been able to leave Gaza since Friday. According to the Israeli prison authority, a total of 150 Palestinian prisoners were released in return, including 33 on Monday night, at a ratio of one hostage for every three prisoners. In addition, nineteen hostages were released by Hamas outside the ceasefire agreement, the vast majority of whom were Thais working in Israel.
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Unlike Hamas, Israel had not confirmed early Tuesday that it would extend the pause in fighting until 5 a.m. local time (6 a.m. in Paris) on Thursday morning. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office agreed to add “fifty prisoners” to the list of Palestinians expected to be released as part of a ceasefire extension.
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