Hamas released four Israeli hostages in Gaza early Saturday in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners who will be released later during the day. It was the second version to happen as part of the ceasefire agreement It started last weekend. Israel followed with the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners.
A large crowd gathered in Palestine square in the north of Gaza to attend the transmission of hostages to the Red Cross. A number of militants armed from Hamas in uniforms have gathered for liberation, surrounding a podium displaying slogans from Hamas. The drones could be seen dropping small packages, which said that the Israeli media contained candy with the crowd.
Karina Ariev, 20 years old; Daniella Gilboa, 20 years old; Naama Levy, 20 years old; And Liri Albag, 19, were captured in Hamas’ October 7, 2023 terrorist attack This sparked the War of Israel-Hamas. About 1,200 people have been killed in Israel and more than 47,000 have since been killed in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health managed by Hamas.
The four female soldiers were kidnapped from the Nahal Oz military base, on the border with northern Gaza, when Palestinian activists invaded it on October 7. They had been there in a watch unit.
Before their release, members of the Red Cross were raised on the Palestine Square podium, where they signed documents alongside Hamas activists.
The four Israeli women arrived in the place in cars. They emerged by wearing military style uniforms and were also brought to the podium, where, smiling, they gave thumb gestures and made a sign of the crowd. They then entered the vehicles of the Red Cross and started their trips from Gaza.
Abed Hajjar / AP
In Tel Aviv, crowds gathered to celebrate the return of hostages to Israel after 476 days of captivity.
More than 60 other soldiers were killed at the base of Nahal Oz during the terrorist attack on October 7, and another soldier was taken hostage from the same unit, although it was not included in the Saturday release.
Liri Albag’s family said they had managed to send them messages through other hostages that had been previously published.
Before today’s release, seven Israeli women were said to have been held in Gaza, including five members of the FDI service and two civilians. One of the civilians is Arbel Yehoud, who was removed Kibbutz nir oz.
The other Israeli civilian is Shiri Bibaswho was taken with his two young children Ariel and Kfir. Hamas said Shiri, Ariel and Kfir were then killed in an Israeli bombardment in Gaza.
Ariel Schalit / AP
In a television interview in June, the Israeli minister at the time, Benny Gantz, said the government knew what had happened to the Bibas family, but said that he could not provide details.
Under the terms of the Liberation Agreement by ceasefire and hostage, civil hostages were to be released before the soldiers, and Yehoud was to be one of the four published on Saturday.
“Hamas has not complied with its obligations to first release Israeli civil hostages in the agreement,” said TDS spokesperson Daniel Hagari in a statement after the publication. “We are determined to return Arbel Yehoud, an Israeli citizen kidnapped from Nir Oz, as well as Shiri Bibas and his two children, Kfir and Ariel, of whom we are extremely concerned about well-being. We appreciate and thank the efforts of all international mediators, the United States, Qatar and Egypt. And we expect them to make sure that Hamas is in accordance with the agreement. »»
The office of the Israeli Prime Minister said that the exchange of Palestinian prisoners would go ahead, but that the inhabitants of Gaza would not be allowed to cross the Corridor of Netzarim.
“Today, Israel has received four women’s kidnapped soldiers from the terrorist organization Hamas, and in return, will release security prisoners according to the touch,” the office of the Israeli Prime Minister said in a statement. “In accordance with the agreement, Israel will not allow the passage of Gazans to the north of the Gaza Strip – until the liberation of the citizen Arbel Yehoud, which was to be released today, is organized.”
Maya Alleruzzo / AP
Al Jazeera reported that a senior Hamas official said Yehoud would be released next Saturday.
The penitentiary service of Israel later said that he had finished the release of 200 Palestinians, including 121 in the perpetuity sentences. They expect them to be sent to Gaza, Egypt and potentially other countries in the region.
After the exchange on Saturday, Israeli forces should start to withdraw from the central road which divides the north and the south of Gaza from east to west, called the netzarim corridor. Palestinian civilians who were moved from Northern Gaza Should then be able to return, although during this stage of the ceasefire agreement, they will not be allowed to make their way.
Some displaced Palestinians who were able to return home in the south after the first exchange of hostages and prisoners last weekend found nothing other than rubble, and in some cases, only the skeletal remains of loved ones killed in fights.
THE Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release contract should occur in the phases, each phase negotiated during the phase that is concerned with it.
Jehad Alshrafi / AP
The first phase, which started last Saturday, includes the release of Hamas of 33 hostages over a period of six weeks. They include women, children and hostages over 50, said a project targeted by CBS News.
The first day of the agreement, three hostages were published by Hamas. The seventh day – which is today – four hostages have been published.
After that, Hamas should release three hostages from Israel every seven days, starting with the living, then turning the bodies of those who died.
More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel should also be released in the first phase of the agreement.