Hamas has released four Israeli female soldiers in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The International Red Cross handled the exchange between the two parties. The soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—were brought onto a podium in Gaza City amid a large crowd of Palestinians.
They waved and smiled before being led off, entering ICRC vehicles and being transported to Israeli forces. All four appeared to be in good health. The 200 prisoners included resistance fighters serving life sentences.
Approximately 70 will be deported to Egypt, 16 sent to Gaza, and the remaining prisoners will be released to the West Bank. The ceasefire agreement, reached after months of on-off negotiations brokered by Qatar and Egypt and the United States, marks the first halt in fighting since the one-week truce in November 2023.