Israel Confirms Release of Four Female Soldiers By Hamas

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel has confirmed the return of four female Israeli soldiers who were held as hostages by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2022.

Earlier, Israeli forces were seen preparing a helipad at the Beilinson Schneider complex in Petah Tikva, Israel, ahead of the arrival of the four young women.

The four hostages, identified as Karina Ariev, 20, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Albag, 19, all served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), officials confirmed.

Yet IDF spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, cautioned that Hamas had “failed to meet its obligations” to first release female civilian hostages.

“Today … we welcomed home four more Israeli hostages after 477 days in Hamas captivity,” he said. “Today, we salute and embrace them and their families as they reunite just now after so long.”

He added: “We cannot and will not forget the 90 hostages, including women, children, and elderly men, [that] still remain in brutal conditions in Hamas captivity. Hamas failed to meet its obligations to first release Israeli female civilian hostages as part of the agreement.”

Israeli hostages in military uniform initially entered the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) vehicles, reporters witnessed.

LARGE CROWD

The women were pictured led onto a podium in Gaza City amid a large crowd of Palestinians and surrounded by dozens of armed Hamas men.

They waved and smiled before being led off and entering ICRC vehicles that transported them to Israel’s military. Back home in Israel, large emotionally charged crowds, including relatives and friends, awaited their return after more than 15 months in captivity.

As their release unfolded, Hamas published the list of 200 Palestinian prisoners set to be freed by Israel on Saturday in exchange for the four female Israeli soldiers as part of the ceasefire deal between the group and Israel.

According to sources familiar with the situation, the 200 prisoners include long-serving inmates and others with lengthy sentences.

Away from Gaza and Israel, about 153 prisoners were released by Yemen’s Houthis, who have attacked Israel and ships of its allies in support of Hamas.

The detainees were freed on Saturday with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), according to an ICRC statement.

The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023 and have sunk two vessels, seized another, and killed at least four seafarers. Its attacks disrupted global shipping trade and prompted route changes, which meant longer voyages for goods to arrive.

The prisoners’ identities were not disclosed, but the ICRC said the organization regularly visited them in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

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