Hamas To Release 4 'Female Soldiers' In Second Swap With Israel Amid Fragile Gaza Ceasefire
Hamas will release four Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. This is the second phase of a ceasefire agreement that aims to pause the 15-month war in Gaza.
Hamas announced on Friday the names of four Israeli hostages it intends to release the following day as part of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The hostages are to be freed on Saturday in exchange for the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Israel confirmed receiving the list of hostages.
According to BBC, the hostages are identified as soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag. They will be freed in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel in this second exchange.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement involves the gradual release of 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. On Sunday, the first three Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners. This ceasefire has paused the ongoing 15-month war that devastated Gaza, where over 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities, who report that more than half of the casualties are women and children.
As the fragile six-week ceasefire entered its sixth day, tensions remained high. Relatives of the remaining hostages still held by militants in Gaza expressed their anxieties, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure the release of all captives, news agency AP reported.
ALSO READ | Netanyahu Defends Musk Over Nazi Salute Row, Says Tesla CEO 'Falsely Smeared'
Israeli Families Plead For Return Of All Hostages
According to AP, Ayelet Samerano, whose son Yonatan Samerano is among those still in captivity, appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump, saying, “Dear President Trump, first of all we want to say thank you for the happy moments we felt this week. But we want to tell you we still have 94 hostages, we need them all at home. Please do not stop. Please continue to press and do everything so that all the 94 hostages will come home immediately.”
Hamas has not disclosed the number of captives still alive, but Israel believes that a significant portion of the more than 90 remaining hostages may have died. The next four hostages are expected to be freed on Saturday, with Israel also releasing a list of Palestinian prisoners who will be granted freedom.
The hostages are among around 250 people captured by militants during an attack on October 7, 2023, which led to the ongoing conflict. In a previous ceasefire in November 2023, approximately 100 hostages were released, and the bodies of around three dozen hostages have been recovered.
Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod Cohen remains in captivity, voiced her concerns, stating, “This week we were moved to watch images of mothers embracing their daughters, but our hearts break thinking that my son Nimrod and other men remain behind, and each day they’re there poses a real danger to their lives”, as quoted by AP's report.
The ceasefire agreement also allows for more freedom of movement for Palestinians in Gaza, with civilians in the south permitted to travel north starting Saturday. Israeli troops are expected to withdraw from key routes, and Hamas will release the next four Israeli hostages.
In Gaza’s central and southern regions, many displaced civilians have taken advantage of the ceasefire to reunite with family members and assess the damage to their homes. Nadia Al-Debs, a displaced woman in Deir al-Balah, expressed hope as she prepared to return home, saying, “The first thing I’ll do, I’ll kiss the dirt of the land on which I was born and raised. We’ll return so my children can see their father”
Despite the relief of reunification, the situation remains grim. Nafouz al-Rabai, a woman displaced from Gaza City’s al-Shati camp, said, “God knows if I’ll find (my house) standing or not. It’s a very bad life”, the report stated.
Top Headlines
