Tel Aviv — American-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was among three hostages released by militants in the war-torn Gaza Strip on Saturday, more than 15 months after they were taken captive by Hamas. Siegel was freed in Gaza City about two hours after Israelis Yarden Bibas and Ofer Calderon were released in the southern city of Khan Younis.

Hamas has agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages as part of a cease-fire agreement with Israel that has brought a pause to more than 15 months of fighting.On Saturday, the militant group freed the first American to be released in the latest truce.

Hamas has handed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, over to the Red Cross, the third hostage to be released Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel. Siegel walked onto a stage set up by the sea in Gaza City before militants handed him over to waiting Red Cross officials,

Hamas-led militants are set to release three male hostages from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, in return for the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners as part of a fragile ceasefire with Israel that has halted more than a year of intense fighting and has so far seen 15 hostages and hundreds of prisoners freed.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas is expected to hand over three Israelis on Saturday, in the latest stage of a gradual exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners under a truce aimed at opening the way to ending the 15-month war in Gaza.

The increasingly theatrical and threatening events have angered Israel and put a cease-fire deal at risk.

Hamas freed three Israelis and five Thai nationals in exchange for more than 100 Palestinians. But the militant group struggled to control crowds, prompting a delay.

Hamas said on Friday it would free the father of the youngest hostages seized in its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel and two others including a dual U.S. citizen and a dual French citizen in the next exchange of Gaza hostages for Palestinian prisoners.