Hamas freed four female Israeli soldiers in a second round of releases under a ceasefire deal that also saw Israel accusing Hamas of failing to fulfil its obligations to release civilians first.
Following their release, Israel has released 200 Palestinian prisoners from detention centers.
The four hostages freed Saturday – Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, all 20 years old, and Liri Albag, 19 – had been held in Gaza since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
Hamas militants took the women, dressed in makeshift military uniforms, on stage in Palestine Square in Gaza City before handing them to the Red Cross. They appeared elated as they waved to the crowds, with Israelis visibly emotional as they watched the live pictures in Hostages Square, Tel Aviv.
Hamas put on show of force during the handover, waving green flags and displaying a poster of current and former Israeli leaders alongside the word “failure,” in what seemed to be a message to Israeli that it remained powerful despite being battered by the Gaza offensive.
Soon after the releases, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said that civilians in Gaza would not be allowed to move to their homes in northern Gaza as planned – because an Israeli female civilian due to be released Saturday was not among those freed.
Israel has been pushing for the release of Arbel Yehud, 29, who was kidnapped from her home in kibbutz Nir Oz. Israel says she is a civilian and should have been released Saturday.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the four hostages released Saturday had been reunited with their families. The family of Daniella Gilboa expressed their joy at her release from Gaza.
The Israeli prison service confirmed that 200 Palestinian prisoners had been released from detention facilities as part of the ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Prisoners from Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank were being taken elsewhere in the West Bank, the prison service said. Meanwhile, prisoners from Ktzi’ot prison, a detention facility in the Negev, will be taken to the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south. Hamas previously said it expected Israel to release around 200 Palestinian prisoners, including 120 prisoners serving life sentences and 80 others with high sentences.
Hamas said it expected Israel to release around 200 Palestinian prisoners Saturday as part of the deal, including 120 prisoners serving life sentences and 80 others with high sentences.