Hamas on Saturday freed four Israeli female soldiers held captive in Gaza and handed them over to the Red Cross in Gaza City after parading them in front of a crowd. The development comes as part of the ceasefire agreement, which seeks a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas. Additionally, Israel is expected to release 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees later in the day as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Who are the captive soldiers being freed?
In a post on . territory with IDF and ISA forces.
Earlier, crowds had begun gathering in Tel Aviv and Gaza City ahead of the expected exchange between Israel and Hamas, the second such exchange since a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip last weekend and another test for the agreement.
Ceasefire agreement aims to end deadliest fighting between Israel and Hamas
The agreement between Israel and Hamas aims to end the deadliest and most destructive war between Israel and the militant group. The agreement has been fragile since it was reached between the warring parties; However, it has resulted in a greater flow of aid to the small coastal territory.
A large screen in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square showed the faces of the four female soldiers expected to be freed. Some in the growing crowd carried Israeli flags, others carried signs with the faces of the hostages.
According to an AP report, the four Israeli soldiers were captured in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that started the war. They were taken from the Nahal Oz base, near the Gaza border, when Palestinian militants overran it and killed more than 60 soldiers there. All of the kidnapped women had served in a lookout unit tasked with monitoring threats along the border. A fifth female soldier from their unit, 20-year-old Agam Berger, was kidnapped with them but not included on the list.
The Israeli military said in a statement on Saturday that preparations had been completed to receive the hostages and provide them with medical care and personal support at the initial reception points. The released soldiers will then be taken to hospitals to reunite with their families.
With contributions from AP)
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