Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, marking the second swap under the Gaza truce. However, Israel delayed allowing families to return to northern Gaza due to a delay in the release of another hostage.
The four freed Israelis were paraded in Gaza City, surrounded by a crowd of Palestinians and Hamas fighters, before being transported to Israeli forces. Shortly after, buses carrying the 200 released Palestinian prisoners departed from the Israeli Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank, with the Israeli Prison Service confirming their release.
The release was met with celebrations in both Tel Aviv, where Israelis gathered in Hostages Square, and in Ramallah, where Palestinians welcomed the freed prisoners. However, Israel’s decision to halt the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, which is severely impacted by the ongoing conflict, came after Hamas failed to release another hostage, an Israeli civilian woman. Hamas pledged to free her next week, while accusing Israel of violating the truce.
The ceasefire agreement outlines the release of 33 women, children, elderly, sick, and wounded hostages in the first phase, with Israel freeing 30 prisoners for each civilian and 50 for each soldier. The four Israeli soldiers freed on Saturday—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—had been abducted during Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, when their observation post was overrun.
As families in Israel celebrated the release, some were disappointed to learn that Arbel Yehud, who was abducted with her boyfriend, was not among those freed. Israel’s military spokesperson called it a breach of the truce, while Hamas labeled it a technical issue, assuring that Yehud would be released next Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Palestinians in Gaza would not be allowed to return to the northern parts of the territory until the issue was resolved. Meanwhile, the halt in Palestinian returns has caused chaos along Gaza’s coastal road, with reports of Israeli forces opening fire, injuring several people.
The ceasefire, brokered by Qatar and Egypt and backed by the United States, has paused the fighting for the first time in over a year. Following the release on Saturday, 90 hostages remain in Gaza, with 26 set for release in the coming phase. Hostage families remain concerned that the ceasefire may collapse before all hostages are freed. Some in Israel argue that fighting should resume to prevent Hamas from regaining power in Gaza.
Since the October 7 attack, Israel has lost over 400 soldiers, while more than 47,000 Palestinians have died in the ongoing conflict.
