Israeli families of hostages confirm that Hamas will release 4 female soldiers
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TEL AVIV — Hamas announced on Friday that it would release four female soldiers held hostage for 15 months in Gaza, as part of an exchange for Palestinian prisoners laid out in its cease-fire agreement with Israel. An advocacy group representing the families of hostages confirmed the identities of the captive Israelis to be released on Saturday.
Under the cease-fire agreement that paused the 15-month war, Israel would release 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees in exchange for the four hostages. Those being released by Israel include 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.
The four soldiers, Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19, were captured in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war and have had no contact with the outside world since then.
Th Hostages Family Forum said late Friday it “welcomes the news” about the expected release of Ariev, Gilboa, Levy and Albag.
“An entire nation has fought for them and anxiously awaits their longed-for return to their families’ embrace,” the group said.
Relatives of hostages still being held by militants in Gaza had earlier Friday called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure that all remaining captives are freed, while also appealing to U.S. President Trump to continue pressing for their release.
Powerful forces in Middle East and, now, in Washington working against truce lasting beyond its first phase.
As a fragile six-week cease-fire between Israel and Hamas entered its sixth day, Israelis were waiting anxiously for the names of the next four hostages who will be released from among the more than 90 still held in Gaza.
Israel believes about a third, or possibly as many as half, of the more than 90 hostages still in Gaza have died. Hamas has not released definitive information on how many captives are still alive or the names of those who have died.
“Dear President Trump, first of all we want to say thank you for the happy moments we felt this week. But we want to tell you we still have 94 hostages, we need them all at home,” said Ayelet Samerano, whose son Yonatan Samerano is among those still being held. “Please do not stop. Please continue to press and do everything so that all the 94 hostages will come home immediately.”
In the first phase of the cease-fire deal, 33 hostages are expected to be released gradually in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The first three Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the first day of the cease-fire. Wide swaths of Gaza have been destroyed and more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities, who do not differentiate between combatants and civilians but say more than half are women and children.
In the Palestinian territory, civilians in the central and southern part of the Gaza Strip face an agonizing wait before they can return to the remnants of their homes in the battered north.
Dozens of Palestinian women and teenagers were released from Israeli prisons this week as part of a deal between Israel and Hamas to pause the war in Gaza.
The deal required Hamas on Friday to announce the names of the next four hostages to be released, after which Israel would release the list of which Palestinian prisoners will be freed.
The hostages were among about 250 men, women and children captured by militants who burst across the border into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people. About 100 were released during a brief cease-fire in November that year, and the bodies of around three dozen hostages have been recovered in Gaza and eight hostages have been rescued by the army.
“I call from here to the prime minister and negotiating team — you’re doing excellent work — do whatever is necessary to bring everyone back, to the last hostage,” Samerano said. “We ask you to ensure Phase 2 of the deal is agreed upon before finishing the current phrase. We cannot continue living in uncertainty. All hostages must return, and none of them has time left.”
The 33 to be released in the first phase will include women, children, sick people and those over 50 — almost all civilians, though the deal also commits Hamas to freeing all living female soldiers in Phase 1. Hamas will release living hostages first, but could release some bodies if they don’t have enough living hostages in this category. Male soldiers are not expected to be released in the first phase.
“This week we were moved to watch images of mothers embracing their daughters, but our hearts break thinking that my son Nimrod and other men remain behind, and each day they’re there poses a real danger to their lives,” said Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod Cohen is among the hostages. “The worry that the deal won’t be fully implemented gnaws at us all. All senior officials openly say that stopping the deal means a death sentence for those left behind.”
Mor and Shurafa write for the Associated Press. Mor reported from Tel Aviv and Shurafa from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip.
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