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Hamas Releases Four Female Israeli Soldiers Under Gaza Cease-Fire
· Confirmed
In Short: Four female Israeli soldiers were released as part of a ceasefire agreement that also saw the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners.
Four female Israeli soldiers, aged between 19 and 20, were released to the Red Cross in Gaza City during a heavily-choreographed handover involving dozens of Hamas gunmen, according to the BBC (United Kingdom) and Global News (Canada).
The soldiers, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and were released as part of a ceasefire agreement that also included the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners, reported the BBC (United Kingdom) and Middleeastmonitor (United Kingdom).
The handover was highly choreographed by Hamas, unlike last weekend's chaotic handover, as noted by the BBC (United Kingdom). The soldiers waved from the stage in Gaza City during the event in Palestine Square, as reported by Middleeastmonitor (United Kingdom).
The released soldiers met their families moments after returning to Israel, according to the BBC (United Kingdom). Bakker Kwaawish, one of the released prisoners, expressed her joy, saying, “Thank God. It's a great feeling, I can't describe this feeling. I've been in jail six years and two months.”
The BBC (United Kingdom) reported that 121 of the 200 released prisoners had been serving life sentences in Israeli jails, some convicted of multiple murders, including the killing of Israeli civilians. Global News (Canada) also noted that the released prisoners included 121 who had been serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis.
However, Israel accused Hamas of breaching the terms of the ceasefire because female civilian hostage Arbel Yehud was not included in Saturday's release, as reported by the BBC (United Kingdom). An Egyptian official involved in the negotiations called the matter a “minor issue” that mediators are working to resolve, according to the BBC (United Kingdom).
A Palestinian official close to Hamas told the BBC (United Kingdom) that Hamas has informed the mediators that the Israeli captive, Arbel Yehuda, is alive and will be released next Saturday.
The first exchange took place on Sunday with the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners, as reported by Scrippsnews and Warpbeat.
In total, Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, as reported by Scrippsnews and Warpbeat.
Despite the ceasefire agreement, the war has continued with Iran-backed Houthi rebels firing missiles that killed at least 53 soldiers in a Yemeni military camp, as reported by Militarynews.
The ceasefire agreement also saw the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks, as reported by Warpbeat.
The handover was a highly choreographed event, with the soldiers wearing Israeli military uniform vests and smiling and waving on a stage at Palestine Square in Gaza City, as reported by Middleeastmonitor (United Kingdom).
What this adds
The BBC (United Kingdom) and Global News (Canada) reported that 121 of the 200 released prisoners had been serving life sentences in Israeli jails, some convicted of multiple murders, including the killing of Israeli civilians. This adds to the understanding of the prisoner release terms.
Background
The first exchange took place on Sunday, with the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas has released four female Israeli soldiers as part of a cease-fire agreement.
What's confirmed
- Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag, all aged between 19 and 20, were released to the Red Cross in Gaza City during a heavily-choreographed handover involving dozens of Hamas gunmen.
- Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
- The first exchange took place Sunday with the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners.
What's still developing
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