4 Israeli hostages stand on a stage earlier than Hamas fighters hand them over to a workforce from the Crimson Cross in Gaza Metropolis on Saturday.
Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP through Getty Photographs
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Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP through Getty Photographs
4 feminine troopers taken hostage within the Oct. 7, 2023 incursion into southern Israel by fighters belonging to the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza have gained again their freedom.
Liri Albag, 19; Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20 and Naama Levy, 20, have been handed over to representatives of the Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross in Gaza on Saturday morning, after which transferred to an Israeli convoy to be pushed throughout the border into Israel, the Israeli navy mentioned.
A short time later, the Israeli navy mentioned the hostages had crossed into Israel.
The handover to the Crimson Cross befell on Palestine Sq. in Gaza Metropolis in a Hamas-run military-style ceremony. Phalanxes of armed fighters in uniform, carrying black balaclavas and signature inexperienced headbands, have been arrayed across the sq.. Spectators clambered on rubble and wrecked automobiles to get a glance, waving Palestinian and Hamas flags.
The Hamas-organized occasion was in sharp distinction to the primary handover of hostages final Sunday, when three Israeli civilian girls have been launched amidst an unruly crowd.
Hamas fighters escort 4 Israeli hostages handy them over to a workforce from the Crimson Cross in Gaza Metropolis on January 25, 2025. Hamas militants handed over 4 Israeli girls hostages to the Crimson Cross in a January 25 swap after parading them on a stage at a sq. in Gaza, an AFP journalist reported.
AFP through Getty Photographs/AFP
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AFP through Getty Photographs/AFP
The 4 younger girls, who have been of their pajamas once they have been taken captive 476 days in the past, have been paraded in troopers’ uniforms onto a stage on the head of the sq. in Gaza Metropolis. Behind them banners with slogans condemned Israel.
Throughout a quick look, two hostages held one another’s fingers. Some smiled and waved, elevating their arms and giving a thumbs up in entrance of the group. The continuing was broadcast stay, together with on Israeli tv.
The ladies have been freed as a part of a deal mediated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt, which led to a six-week ceasefire that started final Sunday after greater than 15 months of conflict in Gaza. It went forward regardless of anger in Israel that Hamas nonetheless held civilians regardless of agreeing within the ceasefire deal to launch them earlier than troopers.
To this point, seven Israelis, all girls, have been launched from Hamas’ captivity as a part of the ceasefire settlement. Israel, in alternate, has mentioned it can launch round 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees throughout this primary section of the ceasefire deal, with 90 launched final week and round one other 200 or so anticipated to be let go later Saturday.
Hamas nonetheless holds 90 hostages: most have been seized within the 2023 assault, although a number of have been captured practically a decade in the past. Hamas has promised to launch one other 26 hostages within the coming weeks, every in alternate for upwards of 30 Palestinian prisoners.
The 4 girls launched on Saturday have been serving as area observers in Unit 414 of the Area Intelligence Battalion when Hamas militants stormed their base on the border with Gaza and set it on fireplace.
In response to the Israeli navy, 66 troopers have been killed and 7 feminine troopers have been taken hostage from the bottom, positioned on Kibbutz Nahal Oz. The three who weren’t a part of Saturday’s handover are Agam Berger, 20, who stays in Hamas’ fingers; Cpl. Noa Marciano, 19, whose physique was recovered by Israeli troops in Gaza in November 2023, and Ori Megidish, who was rescued in an navy operation in October of that yr.
Their destiny has raised questions in Israel concerning the navy’s failure to forestall the Hamas assault. Members of the feminine observer workforce had warned repeatedly that Hamas fighters seemed to be partaking in maneuvers suggesting that an try and infiltrate into Israel was imminent, however the warnings weren’t taken severely by male commanders.
