Jerusalem:

Palestine-based Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday as part of the second hostage release of the Gaza ceasefire deal. Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag were serving as observers at the Nahal Oz army base on the border with Gaza on 7 October, 202, when Hamas attacked Israel and captured them.

Hours before being released, the four women–dressed in army green– were paraded before a crowd of thousands in Gaza City. They were then transferred to the Red Cross vans, which brought them back home to Israel. In exchange, Israel later released 200 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Liri (19), Naama (20), Karina (20), and Daniella (20)  were among the first to be abducted by Hamas-led forces, who killed around 1,200 people and dragged another 250 into the enclave. The first few hours of the assault on the army base were filmed by Hamas forces, which showed the four women in their pyjamas, covered in blood, while they were handcuffed against a wall.

The video of their capture was rereleased by their families in May in an attempt to increase pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a hostage release deal with Hamas. It was re-released by Israel on Sunday in a post on X, hours after the four women reunited with their families.

“Hamas wants you to forget the images of  Liri, Daniella, Karina, and Naama on October 7-dragged from their beds in bloodstained pajamas, their hands bound by Hamas terrorists. We will not let this happen,” read the caption of the post.

Dozens of armed Hamas terrorists are currently gathering in Gaza for the release of 4 female hostages.

Soon we will witness Hamas’ carefully orchestrated and cruel propaganda.

Hamas wants you to forget the images of Liri, Daniella, Karina, and Naama on October 7—dragged from… pic.twitter.com/FzqxzqgNyj

— Israel ישראל (@Israel) January 25, 2025

In the video, one of the women can be heard telling her captor that she has friends in Palestine. When the Hamas fighter asked them to remain quit, the other woman told him that she wanted to call her friend in Gaza.

As per media reports, during their 477 days in Hamas captivity, Daniella, Liri, Naama and Karina were kept in civilian apartments and tunnels, in poor sanitary conditions. They were also reportedly forced to cook and clean for their captors, sometimes even while receiving little food for themselves.

Three other female soldiers –Agam Berger, Noa Marciano and Ori Megidish– were also taken hostage with them. While Megidish was rescued alive by the Israeli military in late October 2023, Marciano was reportedly killed by her captors near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Israel believes Berger is also presumably alive and still in captivity in Gaza. 

Tel Aviv was filled with hope, tears of joy and hugs on Sunday as three Israeli hostages who were held captive by Hamas reunited with their families in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal. The three women – Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari – were handed over to the Red Cross officials by armed men in camouflaged military gear, with green Hamas headbands.

The three women were held captive by Hamas during its attack on October 7, 2023, which killed at least 1200 people. The Lebanon-backed group released them in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared videos and pictures of the three women – draped in Israeli flags – reuniting with their families. Visuals showed the women embracing their mothers at a reception center, with one of the hostages waving a bandaged hand missing two fingers at her family on the other end of a mobile phone video call.

First photographs from the emotional meetings between the returnees and their families at the reception points in Israel. pic.twitter.com/98MPwh0zNX

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 19, 2025

“We didn’t have any sign of life from her for a whole year and this is the first time we are seeing her, and we are seeing her walking on her two feet and we are just waiting here to hug her and say how much we love her,” said the family of the released hostages.

Netanyahu, welcoming the women back home, said on the phone: “I would like you to tell them: Romi, Doron and Emily – an entire nation embraces you. Welcome home”.

Welcome home!
Video of the emotional meetings between Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher with their families at Sheba Medical Center. pic.twitter.com/CJYdJXiaSX

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 19, 2025

Apart from the families of the three released hostages, thousands of people, some cheering and crying, gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv as a giant screen broadcasted the first glimpse of the women. A group of Israelis also played music and sang patriotic songs.

On the other hand, massive celebrations with fireworks took place in Gaza as buses carrying the Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah on the West Bank.

Ending more than 15 months of war that killed over 47,000 people, Israel began a six-week ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza on Sunday, nearly three hours after its initial schedule. Negotiations for the second phase of the agreement will begin by the 16th day of phase one. It is likely to include the release of the remaining 94 hostages. 

In the last phase of the ceasefire, all the remaining dead bodies are expected to be returned.