Hamas to release four Israeli hostages on January 25

Hamas has confirmed in an official statement that it will release the next group of Israeli hostages, with the exchange set to take place as previously agreed.

According to a published prisoner exchange schedule, Hamas is set to hand over four Israeli citizens to Israel on January 25, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. The announcement follows prior arrangements between the two parties.

Note that, Israeli authorities confirmed that Hamas has released its first three female captives as part of a ceasefire agreement that came into effect in the Gaza Strip. The hostages, Romi Gonen (24), Emily Damari (28), and Doron Steinbrecher (31), were handed over to the Red Cross on Sunday evening, with the Israeli military confirming their safe arrival in Israel.

“The three women are in safe hands,” said Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari, describing the moment as a significant development in the ongoing conflict. The captives were transferred from Gaza City, located in the northern part of the besieged enclave, after being brought to as-Saraya Square by Hamas. Crowds gathered to witness the event as Red Cross vehicles took the captives out of Gaza.

Alongside the release of the hostages, a Red Cross delegation began verifying the identities of 90 Palestinian prisoners, who are to be released from Israel’s Ofer Prison in the next phase of the ceasefire deal.

This process is part of a three-phase agreement designed to bring about peace in Gaza, which will include the arrival of humanitarian aid trucks to assist the disaster-stricken region. The first phase will last 42 days, during which Israeli forces will pull back from parts of Gaza.

By Aghakazim Guliyev