Foreign

Four Female Israeli Soldiers Freed By Hamas Reunite With Family

Published

2 weeks ago

January 25, 2025

Four Female Israeli Soldiers Freed By Hamas Reunite With Family

Four Israeli female soldiers held captive by Hamas for 477 days were released Saturday under the ongoing ceasefire agreement.

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag were paraded in Gaza City’s central square before being handed over to the Red Cross and eventually reunited with their families in Israel.

The soldiers, who were abducted from the Nahal Oz military base during the October 7, 2023, attack, appeared in good physical condition during their release. However, the staged event orchestrated by Hamas drew sharp criticism from Israeli officials.

“Hamas is a murderous terror group,” said IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. “They cynically staged a ceremony to misrepresent the treatment of hostages.”

Upon crossing into Israel, the four women were greeted by their families and underwent medical evaluations at a military facility near Re’im.

Emotional scenes unfolded as families cheered and embraced their loved ones after nearly 16 months of captivity.

Despite the joy surrounding the release, tensions remain.

Israeli officials accused Hamas of violating the agreement by releasing the soldiers before civilian hostages, including Arbel Yehud, who was expected to be freed today.

In response, Israel announced a delay in allowing displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, pending the release of Yehud.

“This decision underlines Israel’s firm stance on ensuring the return of all hostages,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Recall that the current ceasefire agreement includes the release of 200 Palestinian security prisoners, many of whom were convicted of terrorism-related offenses, in exchange for the hostages.

The Israeli government has vowed to continue efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages and obtain clarity on their status.