Hamas released four Israeli soldier hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Saturday, as shown on live TV.
The women were brought onto a stage in Gaza City, surrounded by a large crowd and many armed Hamas members. They smiled and waved before getting into ICRC vehicles that would take them to Israeli forces.
This release is part of a deal to exchange them for Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—were taken from their observation post near Gaza when Hamas fighters attacked on October 7, 2023.
According to a Palestinian source, one soldier was held by Islamic Jihad.
On Saturday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas transferred four female Israeli soldier hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as broadcasted live on television.
The four women were escorted onto a stage in Gaza City, where they were greeted by a large gathering of Palestinians and a significant presence of armed Hamas personnel. They appeared to wave and smile before being guided to ICRC vehicles that would take them to Israeli authorities.
This release is part of a broader agreement that includes the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, aimed at facilitating a ceasefire to conclude the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has persisted for 15 months.
The soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—were stationed at an observation post near Gaza and were captured by Hamas fighters during the assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. According to a Palestinian source, one of the soldiers had been held by Islamic Jihad.
Hamas announced that 200 Palestinian prisoners would be released on Saturday as part of this exchange, which is anticipated to include individuals affiliated with Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), some of whom are serving life sentences.
The group also stated that 70 of the 200 Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel would be deported outside of Gaza and the West Bank, as per their statement.
This exchange marks the second such event since a ceasefire was initiated on Sunday, following Hamas’s earlier release of three Israeli civilians in return for 90 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas also stated that 70 of the 200 prisoners released by Israel would be deported outside Gaza and the West Bank.
This exchange is the second since a ceasefire began on Sunday, following the earlier handover of three Israeli civilians for 90 Palestinian prisoners.