Four Israeli female soldiers who were captured by Hamas have been returned to Israeli forces after being handed over to Red Cross personnel on Saturday, coinciding with the continuation of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip that has now entered its second week.
As part of the terms of the truce, around 200 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails were also scheduled for release later that day. The ceasefire began the previous Sunday with the release of three Israeli civilian hostages alongside 90 Palestinian detainees.
The four soldiers—Liri Albag, 19, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Karina Ariev, 20, and Naama Levy, 20—were taken from a military outpost at the Israel-Gaza border during the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Their abduction was widely publicized, and their release has been a key demand from the families of those still held hostage in Gaza.
The handover occurred in Palestine Square, Gaza City, where masked Hamas gunmen transferred the soldiers to Red Cross officials amidst a gathering of armed militants and supporters. The four women were displayed briefly on a stage with a banner that read “Zionism will not win” before being taken away in Red Cross vehicles.
They were subsequently transported to a location where they were transferred to Israeli special forces and intelligence personnel. The event was characterized by displays of strength from Hamas, including convoys of armed vehicles around the Gaza Strip, which were covered extensively by media.
The planned release of the four soldiers had been cast into uncertainty shortly before the handover when Hamas announced the potential for their release, prompting Israeli officials to express concern that it went against the terms of the ceasefire agreement, which prioritized the release of civilian hostages over soldiers. The future release of one remaining civilian captive, Arbel Yehud, remains unclear.
A ceasefire arrangement brokered by US-led parties initiated this month involves a complex agreement intended to halt hostilities and facilitate the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Under the structure of the ceasefire agreement, the first phase requires the release of 33 Israeli hostages, including vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly, in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom are serving long sentences for serious offenses. These exchanges are scheduled to occur weekly over the first 42 days.
During this period, Israeli forces will begin to pull back from populated areas in Gaza, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in the northern region starting Saturday. There’s been a significant uptick in humanitarian aid entering Gaza over the past week.
By the 16th day of this initial phase, discussions between Israel and Hamas are expected to commence concerning the next steps, which will focus on the release of the remaining living hostages in exchange for additional Palestinian prisoners and further Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, with an aim to comprehensively conclude hostilities. The final phase of the agreement will entail the return of deceased hostages’ bodies and the initiation of reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
photo credit: www.ft.com
