Four female Israeli soldiers, who had been held hostage by Hamas since October 7, 2023, were released on Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal. The release also saw 200 Palestinian prisoners freed. The women—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—ranging in age from 19 to 20, were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City during a meticulously staged event, involving dozens of armed Hamas fighters.
However, Israel criticized Hamas for violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement, as Arbel Yehud, a civilian female hostage, was not included in the release. Israel indicated that it would delay the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza until the issue of Yehud’s release was resolved. Hamas, on the other hand, assured that Yehud would be freed next weekend.
Despite this dispute, Israel proceeded with releasing the Palestinian prisoners, including 70 individuals who were deported to neighboring countries via Egypt due to the severity of their crimes. The handover event in Gaza City was a stark contrast to last weekend’s chaotic exchange, being highly orchestrated by Hamas. The hostages emerged from cars, escorted by masked gunmen to a stage where a Red Cross official signed documents with a Hamas fighter.
Each hostage wore an ID badge, and the event was set up with a desk, flags, and symbols of bureaucracy, alongside a visible machine gun. The hostages were seen smiling and waving as they were reunited with their families shortly after the handover. The images were likely intended to project order and strength, not only to Palestinians but also to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had vowed to destroy Hamas in response to the October 7 attacks.
The swap on Saturday was the second exchange since the ceasefire took effect on January 19. Israel had expected Yehud’s release, as the ceasefire prioritized the release of female civilians. However, her name was missing from Hamas’s list submitted the previous Friday. Following the release of the four hostages, Israel decided to postpone the planned return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.
A Palestinian official informed mediators that Yehud was alive and would be freed next Saturday. The ceasefire, which halted the war that began after Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel, led to the deaths of around 1,200 people and the capture of 251 hostages by Hamas. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 47,200 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive.
