Hamas militants on Saturday released four female Israeli soldiers they held captive for 15 months in a planned exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees in Israel.
It’s the second exchange since a fragile ceasefire took effect last weekend, halting the fighting in Gaza for at least six weeks during which dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed while more aid flows in.
In return for the four soldiers, Israel should free 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks. The first exchange took place Sunday with the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians. The war was sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people.
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Here’s the latest:
Israeli army spokesman criticizes Hamas’ display of hostages
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says the released hostages are “in our hands” and on their way home.
In a televised statement Saturday, Hagari criticized what he called the “cynical” public display of the young women by Hamas before their release.
He also said that Israel is concerned about the fate of the two youngest hostages — Kfir and Ariel Bibas — and their mother Shiri. Kfir Bibas marked his second birthday in captivity earlier this month.
Hagari says the army is committed to bringing all hostages home.
Palestinians release a list of 200 prisoners to be released from Israel
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian authorities have released a list of 200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees expected to be released from Israel in exchange for four female Israeli soldiers held by Hamas in Gaza.
The list includes 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. The rest are serving lengthy sentences.
The list shows that 70 of the prisoners will not be allowed to return to their homes in the occupied West Bank or Jerusalem and will be required to live in exile. It’s unclear exactly where they will go.
The more notorious militants being released include Mohammad Odeh, 52, and Wael Qassim, 54, both from east Jerusalem. They were accused of carrying out a series of deadly Hamas attacks against Israelis, including a bombing at a cafeteria at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2002 that killed nine people, including five U.S. citizens.
Another prisoner set to be released is Mohammed Aradeh, 42, an Islamic Jihad militant, who become something of a Palestinian folk hero in 2021 along with five other prisoners after they used spoons to tunnel their way out of Israel’s most secure prison in an extraordinary escape that stunned Israelis and Palestinians alike.
4 female soldiers freed by Hamas as part of Gaza ceasefire are with Israeli forces
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Four female soldiers freed from captivity in the Gaza Strip are with Israeli forces, the second such release as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
Israel confirmed it had received the freed hostages on Saturday. The truce, which began Sunday, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.
The four Israeli 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.
Lebanese army blames Israel for delay in deploying troops in southern Lebanon
BEIRUT — The Lebanese army on Saturday said it has been unable to deploy its forces throughout southern Lebanon as laid out in a ceasefire agreement that halted the Israel-Hezbollah war because of Israel’s “procrastination in withdrawal” from the area.
Under the deal reached in November, Israel is supposed to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by Sunday, after which the Lebanese armed forces would patrol the buffer zone in southern Lebanon alongside U.N. peacekeepers to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing a military presence there.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested Friday that Israel might not withdraw by the deadline, and Washington appears prepared to push for an extension. Netanyahu said the Lebanese government hasn’t yet “fully enforced” the agreement, an apparent reference to the deployment of Lebanese troops.
The Lebanese army statement said “procrastination in the withdrawal by the Israeli enemy complicates the army’s deployment mission.” It said it “maintains readiness to complete its deployment immediately after the Israeli enemy withdraws.”
It called on displaced Lebanese not to return to their areas until they receive instructions, citing the danger of landmines and explosives. Some 112,000 Lebanese remain displaced. There have been calls for protests on Sunday if Israel does not fully withdraw.
Crowds gather in Tel Aviv and Gaza City ahead of the release of hostages and prisoners
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Crowds began to gather in Tel Aviv and Gaza City on Saturday ahead of the expected swap between Israel and Hamas of more hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, a big screen showed the faces of the four female soldiers expected to be released. Some in the growing crowd wore Israeli flags, others held posters with the hostages’ faces.
“I’m extremely excited, exhilarated,” said onlooker Gili Roman. “In a heartbeat, in a split of a second, their lives are going to turn upside again, but right now for a positive and a good side.”
He said his sister was released in the only other ceasefire in November, but another relative was killed in captivity.
In Gaza City’s central Palestine Square, a crowd began to gather early as militants worked to cordon off an area where the hostages were expected to be handed over to the Red Cross.
Dozens of armed and masked militants also paraded in vehicles through the streets of the city, said resident Radwan Abu Rawiya who was part of the Palestine Square crowd.
Children ran alongside the militants’ vehicles as celebratory gunfire rang out, he said in a telephone interview.
“People are celebrating and waiting to see the hostages,” he said.
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