A senior US administration source has disclosed to CNN that two American citizens held hostage in Gaza since Oct. 7 are expected to be released in the first phase of the hostage deal.
The Americans slated for release are Keith Siegal and Sagui Dekel-Chen, according to the source. Along with them, five IDF female surveillance soldiers – Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Daniella Gilboa, and Naama Levy – could be freed as early as Sunday.
The development comes as part of broader negotiations to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza. Currently, seven Americans remain in captivity there, including soldier Idan Alexander, along with Siegal and Dekel-Chen. Four additional Americans initially listed among the hostages have been confirmed dead, with their bodies still unrecovered.
United States President Joe Biden confirmed American citizens would be included in the first group of releases. However, he carefully avoided specifying numbers, identities, or details about their conditions.
"Even as we welcome this news, we remember all the families whose loved ones were killed in Hamas's October 7th attack, and the many innocent people killed in the war that followed, Biden said. "It is long past time for the fighting to end and the work of building peace and security to begin. I am also if thinking of the American families, three of whom have living hostages in Gaza and four awaiting return of remains after what has been the most horrible ordeal imaginable. Under this deal, we are determined to bring all of them home."
