Tears, hugs, and smiles marked the emotional reunions of three Israeli hostages released by Hamas on Saturday. After 484 days in captivity, Keith Siegel, Yarden Bibas, and Ofer Kalderon finally returned home, bringing a wave of relief to their families. The handover ceremonies were calm and organized, a stark difference from the chaos seen earlier in the week.

Kalderon, 54, waved to friends and family as he stepped off a military helicopter near Tel Aviv. “I love you!” he yelled, his voice filled with joy. In a hospital room, his children wept as they hugged him, stroking his hair. “It’s over, Dad,” his daughter said. “Now you’re with us.”

In exchange for the hostages, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners, including some serving life sentences. Many had been detained in Gaza since October 7 without public charges. The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt also opened for the first time since May 2024, allowing Palestinian civilians, mostly children, to evacuate for medical care.

This marks the fourth hostage swap since a ceasefire began on January 19. Under the agreement, talks for the next phase are set to start Monday. However, 79 people taken on October 7, 2023, remain in Gaza, with only 20 scheduled for release in this phase—eight of whom are believed to be dead.

Siegel, 65, the first American released since the ceasefire, appeared frail but waved briefly from a stage in Gaza. His wife Aviva watched the live feed, exclaiming, “Here he is, here he is, Keith!” as she hugged their son Shai. Meanwhile, Bibas’s reunion with his family was more somber, as his wife and two young sons remain missing. Hamas claimed they were killed in an airstrike, but Israel has not confirmed this.

The release was a significant moment for Israel, especially after the disorderly scenes during a previous handover in Khan Younis. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded assurances to avoid a repeat, and this time, the process was smooth. Hamas militants staged the handover, and Red Cross representatives ensured the hostages' safe transfer.

On the Palestinian side, crowds in Ramallah erupted in celebration as freed prisoners arrived. Among them was Mohammad El-Halabi, who spoke of harsh conditions in detention, including severe malnutrition. “Thank God I got out of prison,” he said.

The ceasefire has brought some hope, but the road to lasting peace remains uncertain. As one negotiator put it, “There are no winners in this war. We have all lost.”