Tears and cheers: Hamas releases four Israeli female soldiers

Hamas released four Israeli female soldiers on January 25 in exchange for approximately 200 Palestinian prisoners, as part of a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the 15-month-long war in Gaza, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media. 

The release of the hostages was a key moment in the ongoing efforts to bring an end to the conflict, which has caused devastating losses on both sides.

The four soldiers — Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag — were captured by Hamas fighters during the group's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, when they overran an Israeli military observation post near the Gaza border. As they were freed, they were seen by a large crowd of Palestinians in Gaza City, with Hamas fighters surrounding them. The soldiers waved to the crowd and smiled before being taken by ICRC vehicles for transport back to Israeli forces.

Their release was met with joyous scenes in Israel, where their parents celebrated the news, and large crowds gathered in Tel Aviv to watch the handover unfold on a giant screen. The four women were quickly reunited with their families and taken to a hospital in central Israel, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.

However, the celebrations in Israel were tempered by disappointment, as a female civilian hostage who was expected to be freed as part of the exchange was not released. Israeli officials claimed this was a violation of the ceasefire, while Hamas attributed the delay to a technical issue. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Palestinians in Gaza would be prohibited from returning to northern Gaza until the matter was resolved.

The release of 200 Palestinian prisoners, including convicted militants serving life sentences for involvement in deadly attacks, is the second such exchange since the ceasefire took effect on January 19. The first exchange saw the release of three Israeli civilian women in return for 90 Palestinian prisoners.

Under the ceasefire agreement, which was negotiated with the help of Qatar and Egypt and backed by the United States, Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages, including children, women, and the elderly, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The agreement also calls for a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from some positions in Gaza, with further negotiations planned for a larger exchange of hostages and the eventual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which has been heavily damaged during the fighting.

As of Janury 25, there were still 90 hostages remaining in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities, though a third of them have been declared dead in absentia. 

Israel launched its campaign in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, when militants killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to health authorities there.

Israel has lost more than 400 soldiers in Gaza combat. Hamas has not revealed how many fighters it has lost. Israel estimates that more than a third of Gaza's death toll is militants.

By Tamilla Hasanova