Four Israeli women soldiers have been freed after 477 days captivity in Gaza.
Hamas militants handed them over to the Red Cross in Gaza City on Saturday (January 25) after parading them in front of a large crowd in a highly choreographed ceremony.
The four Israeli soldiers were dressed in military fatigues as they smiled, waved and gave thumbs ups to the crowd which the Israeli military believes they were ordered to do so under duress.
They initially appeared in remarkably good health considering their 15-month ordeal.
They were taken to the Beilinson Hospital near Tel Aviv where doctors described their condition as “stable.”
20-year-olds Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa and Naama Levy and 19-year-old Liri Albag were captured from the Nahal Oz base near the border with Gaza when Palestinian militants overran it on October 7, 2023, killing more than 60 soldiers there.
They had all served in a unit of lookouts charged with monitoring threats along the border.
A fifth female soldier in their unit, Agam Berger, 20, who was abducted with them, is expected to be among the next hostages released.
Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners in return as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Around 70 of them were immediately deported to neighbouring countries via Egypt due to the seriousness of their offences.
121 of them were serving life sentences.
Three hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners were released in the first swap a week ago.
Israel accused Hamas of breaching the terms of the ceasefire because female civilian hostage Arbel Yehud was not included in Saturday’s release.
Hamas says she’ll be released next weekend.
This has delayed the planned return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza because the terms of the ceasefire deal prioritise female civilians.
Israel said it would not allow the return until the situation around Ms Yehud was resolved.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the release of the four hostages as a “very happy moment”.
“This is truly a great day. We are working on the release of everyone else,” he added.
Daniella Gilboa’s family says she has “survived 477 days in the hell of Gaza.”
“How we’ve prayed for this moment! We thank Israelis for their prayers and support during this time. We couldn’t have made it through without you.”
Karina Ariev’s family says she is a “symbol of courage, heart, and determination, and we are proud of her beyond words”.
Israeli media reports have shed some light on the months of physical and psychological torment endured by the three female hostages released last weekend.
They allegedly described being moved between civilian homes and Hamas tunnels.
The reports say they were kept in unsanitary conditions for months and often denied showers, medical care, and access to proper hygiene facilities.
Some were held in complete darkness for extended periods and suffered from severe hunger.
Others were made to cook meals and clean toilets for their captors.
They were forbidden from crying or holding hands, further compounding their psychological distress.
Photo: Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Shows Liri Albag and her parents.
