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Four female Israeli soldiers taken hostage by Hamas have returned to Israel and 200 Palestinian prisoners were released on Saturday as part of a cease-fire deal in Gaza that ended more than 15 months of war.
The ceasefire took effect last Sunday with the release of three female Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian detainees.
The four soldiers – Lili Arbag, 19, Daniela Gilboa, 20, Karina Aliek, 20, and 20-year-old Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack sparked the conflict between Israel and Gaza. It was seized from a military outpost on the border. Their freedom became a central demand of the hostage release movement, which coalesced around the families of those still held captive in Gaza.
Hamas gunmen initially handed the group over to Red Cross officials in Gaza City's Palestine Square amid a rally of hundreds of uniformed, armed militants and supporters waving the group's green flag. .
Four Israeli women marched across the square to a small stage painted with a banner in Hebrew that read, “Zionism will not win.” After briefly waving to the crowd, they were led into a Red Cross vehicle.
The Red Cross drove the 4 to the transfer point, where they were handed over to Israeli special forces and intelligence and returned to Israeli territory. The woman was later flown by helicopter to a hospital in the center of the country.
After arriving in Israel, 200 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli prisons. Most were expected to leave for asylum in third countries, mostly in the occupied West Bank, 20 in Gaza and dozens in Egypt.
“Today we forced the criminal occupier to open the door of his prison cell to our heroic prisoner,” Hamas said. “This is our pledge to them for freedom and for our people to continue walking together on the path of independence and self-determination.”
This second installment of the release of hostage prisoners was momentarily thrown into doubt Friday night after Hamas announced that four soldiers would be released.
Israeli officials claimed this was a violation of the terms of the contract, which calls for civilian women still alive – some of whom are believed to remain in captivity – to be soldiers. He said he would be released before. Nevertheless, the Israeli government has decided to move forward, and it remains unclear whether civilian Abel Yehud will be released as part of the exchange next week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said hundreds of thousands of displaced refugees would not be allowed to return to northern Gaza until the issue of her release was “sorted out.”
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said: . . We hope that Hamas will confirm that it stands by the agreement. ”
US-led mediators secured a six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas this month. This is the first step in a complex three-phase agreement that could permanently end the war and secure the release of the remaining 90 hostages held by Hamas.
Donald Trump had warned there would be “all hell to pay” if no deal was reached before Monday's inauguration. On Friday, the new US president said:
The first phase of the agreement consists of the release of 33 Israeli hostages, including children, women, the sick and the elderly, in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, hundreds of whom have been linked to terrorist attacks. He is serving a long sentence for murder. The release will be in weekly installments over an initial period of 42 days.
During this time, Israeli forces will withdraw from populated areas of the shattered territory and displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to their homes. Humanitarian aid entering the Strip has already increased sharply over the past week.
By the 16th day of the first phase, Israel and Hamas agreed that the remaining living hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, further withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaz, and a complete end to their release. There are plans to begin negotiations on the details of the second phase of the war. The final stage will include the return of the bodies of the dead hostages and the beginning of the reconstruction of Gaza.
