Hamas transfers 4 Israeli hostages to Red Cross under ceasefire deal

Hamas has handed over four Israeli female soldier hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza, as part of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the 15-month-long conflict in the region.

The transfer, broadcast live, showed the soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—being escorted onto a podium in Gaza City, where they waved to a cheering crowd. Surrounded by armed Hamas fighters, the hostages were then placed in ICRC vehicles for transportation back to Israeli forces.

The four soldiers were captured on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters attacked their observation post near Gaza. One of the soldiers had reportedly been held by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, according to a Palestinian source.

The exchange is part of a broader ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar and Egypt, with backing from the United States. In return for the soldiers, Hamas announced that 200 Palestinian prisoners would be released on Saturday, including members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), some serving life sentences.

This marks the second exchange since the truce began earlier this week. On Sunday, Hamas released three Israeli civilians in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The ceasefire, the first to hold since a brief truce in November 2023, follows months of negotiations and aims to pave the way for a long-term de-escalation of the conflict.

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