Hostage Deal
Hamas has announced the names of four Israeli female soldiers set to be released as part of a hostage exchange agreement. The four women—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—will be freed on Saturday, according to the group’s statement.
This marks the second phase of a prisoner swap under the ceasefire deal in Gaza, which has seen ongoing negotiations and efforts for peace following months of intense conflict.
The prisoner exchange, which is expected to begin on Saturday afternoon, follows the release of three Israeli women and 90 Palestinian prisoners on the first day of the ceasefire deal, which took place the previous Sunday.
This exchange marked the first such swap in over a year. Under the ceasefire’s first phase, Israel has committed to releasing 50 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli female soldier freed. As a result, the release of the four Israeli women soldiers will lead to the freedom of around 200 Palestinian prisoners.
Since the release of the three women and the return of the body of an Israeli soldier who had been missing for a decade, Israel has stated that 94 Israelis and foreign nationals remain in Gaza.
The ceasefire agreement was reached after months of negotiations, brokered by Qatar and Egypt, with support from the United States. The deal halted the fighting, which had been ongoing since the breakdown of a previous truce in November 2023.
During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
As part of the ongoing process, both parties are expected to negotiate the release of remaining hostages, as well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which has been left in ruins due to the 15 months of fighting and Israeli bombardment.
The war began in October 2023 following a deadly Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostages. In the aftermath of this, over 47,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza due to the conflict.
