Four former hostages were released Saturday as part of Phase 1 of the hostage-ceasefire deal, as IDF surveillance lookout soldiers Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa, and Naama Levy returned to Israeli territory after 477 days in captivity.
Ahead of Saturday’s hostage transfer, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists, along with Gazan civilians, congregated in Palestine Square in Gaza City as the four IDF soldiers were paraded on stage.
The hostages were seen holding bags similar to the ones given to the three hostages released last week. Last week, the bags included Arabic language completion certificates and photos of the hostages’ time in captivity.
A banner reading “Zionism won’t win” in Hebrew featuring the logos of Mossad and Amman appeared on a live Al Jazeera stream among the Hamas and Palestinian flags being flown at the site.
Saturday’s exchange is the second since a ceasefire began on January 19, and Hamas handed over three Israeli female civilians in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners.
According to the deal, there will be 33 hostages released in the first 42-day phase in exchange for the release of security prisoners, humanitarian aid, and an IDF withdrawal to a security perimeter around Gaza about 700 to 1,100 meters from the Israeli border.
Israel will release 30 Palestinian detainees for every civilian hostage and 50 Palestinian detainees for every Israeli female soldier Hamas releases. Hostages expected to be released in the first phase are those who fall under the humanitarian category, such as women, children, the elderly, or the wounded.
The hostage-ceasefire deal hit a road bump on Saturday, as Israel said it will not allow Gazans to cross into the northern Gaza Strip until hostage Arbel Yehoud is released from captivity, the Prime Minister’s Office said (see box).
After being transferred to the Red Cross and brought to the Gaza border, the four released hostages then boarded an IAF helicopter with their parents and touched down at the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva in order to receive medical treatment, the IDF announced. They are reportedly in stable condition.
Welcoming the hostages home
The Prime Minister’s Office welcomed the release of the former hostages.
“The Israeli government embraces the four returning IDF soldiers. Their families have been informed by the designated authorities that they have been transferred to the IDF,” the statement read. “The Israeli government is committed to the return of all the remaining hostages.”
In exchange for the released hostages, Israel released about 200 security prisoners, the Israel Prison Service said. Israel is later expected to withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor -– an area which separates northern and southern Gaza.
Hamas said that 70 of the 200 Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel on Saturday would be deported outside of Gaza and the West Bank -– being sent to countries like Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and Algeria.
President Isaac Herzog welcomed the four former hostages released on Saturday from Hamas in a post to X/Twitter.
“An entire nation weeps and rejoices with you at this moment. We are overjoyed to see you smiling and finally reunited with your wonderful families. We pray that you find strength in your journey of healing and recovery,” he wrote.
Herzog also noted the concerns of the families of Arbel Yehoud and Agam Berger, who are still in captivity, as well as the well-being of the Bibas family.
“We will not rest until we bring back all our sisters and brothers from the hell of captivity in Gaza,” he added.
Defense Minister Israel Katz also welcomed the return of the four female hostages on Saturday on X/Twitter.
“The whole country embraces you and salutes the families of the heroes who worked every day until this moving moment,” he wrote. “I thank the heroic IDF soldiers, the security forces, and everyone who worked to achieve this national goal.
“We will not relent or give up, and we will do everything until all the hostages, both living and dead, are returned to Israel.”
Gadi Zaig, Danielle Greyman-Kennard, Sam Halpern, and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.