Four female Israeli soldiers held in Gaza handed to Red Cross in 2nd hostage release of ceasefire deal (WATCH)
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Synopsis
Four young women soldiers, abducted by Palestinian operators on October 7, 2023 while serving near the Gaza border, were finally released by Hamas on Saturday, as part of its ceasefire agreement with Israel.
Four young women soldiers, abducted by Palestinian operators on October 7, 2023 while serving near the Gaza border, were finally released by Hamas on Saturday, as part of its ceasefire agreement with Israel.
Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa and Naama Levy were captured together while deployed in a surveillance unit at the Nahal Oz military base, close to the Gaza border. Their abduction was filmed by the operators. Three other women soldiers were taken hostage with them- Agam Berger, who is still held in Gaza and presumed alive; Noa Marciano, whose body has since been repatriated to Israel; and Ori Megidish, who was freed alive by the Israeli military in late October 2023.
As the four hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza, joy erupted in a square in Tel Aviv where family and friends of the hostages have gathered today.
Large screens showed the exchange live and people in Tel Aviv can be seen crying, smiling and hugging each other as they hold up placards showing the names and photos of the hostages.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the four hostages are with the Red Cross and will be transferred to them shortly.
"The Red Cross organisation reported that four Israeli hostages were transferred to their custody, and they are making their way to the IDF and Shin Bet forces in the Gaza Strip," the IDF says in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Hundreds of Hamas militants assembled in central Gaza, amidst the rubble, for scheduled transfer of four hostages to the Red Cross.
On Saturday, Red Cross entered Palestine Square where they collected the hostages. Video showed vehicles belonging to the organisation pulling into the area.
They'll escort the hostages to the IDF, who will then take them for a medical assessment before reuniting them with their families.
The fighting has been halted for six week under the terms of the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed, while more aid flows in.
In exchange for the four soldiers released on Saturday, Israel should release 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.
The first exchange took place Sunday with the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners.
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