Hamas Releases Four Female Israeli Soldiers As Part Of Gaza Ceasefire Agreement

Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers to the International Red Cross (ICRC) on Saturday as part of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

The soldiers-Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag-had been held captive for 477 days.

Photo Credit: https://x.com/Israel

Before the transfer, the women appeared on a stage set up by Hamas in Gaza City.

Dressed in military-style uniforms and carrying bags provided by their captors, they waved and smiled as they were escorted into ICRC vehicles that would take them to Israeli forces, according to The Times of Israel.

Their release is part of an exchange deal, where Palestinian prisoners will be freed in return.

The soldiers were captured by Hamas during the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, at an observation post near Gaza. One of the soldiers had been held by Islamic Jihad, as reported by Reuters.

Hamas stated that 200 prisoners would be released on Saturday as part of the swap.

These prisoners are expected to include members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), some of whom are serving life sentences.

Saturday's release marks the second exchange since the ceasefire took effect on Sunday. Previously, Hamas released three Israeli civilians in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The ceasefire, which has paused the fighting for the first time since a brief truce in November 2023, was negotiated through months of talks led by Qatar and Egypt, with support from the United States.

As part of the agreement, Israeli forces are set to partially withdraw from a key area in central Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza.