THIS is the moment four young Israeli hostages were surrounded by gun-wielding terrorists before they were released.
Karina Ariev, 20, Daniela Gilboa, 20, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Elbag, 19, were handed over to the Red Cross by balaclava-wearing Hamas leaders.
These female IDF soldiers were part of the second hostage release of the fragile ceasefire between the two groups.
The four women were kidnapped on October 7, 2023, during the deadly assault on Israel’s Nahal Oz military base.
These girls were handed over in the middle of a public square in Gaza City on Saturday.
This handover ceremony was slammed as “cynical” by IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari.
He said: “Hamas is a murderous terror group. In the last few hours Hamas proved its cruelty by organizing a cynical ceremony.”
Hagari stated that the group portrayed a distorted view of how they treated the hostages, but in truth, they were holding innocent civilians captive for 477 days in a cruel manner.
The hostages were kept in SUVs as huge crowds of Palestinians gathered to watch the historic moment.
A group of terrorists, clad in camouflage attire and armed with rifles, created a barrier separating the crowd from the Hamas vehicles, Red Cross SUVs, and the stage where the girls were being released.
Huge Palestinian flags were waved in the watching crowd and one person held a poster of the assassinated Hamas boss Yahya Al-Sinwar.
The four girls were escorted out of their vehicles as they desperately hugged each other while circled by the gun-wielding militants.
They held hands as they walked onto a podium in front of dozens of onlookers.
The women were seen waving their hands from the stage before being handed to the Red Cross.
The intense and delicate handover concluded swiftly as the humanitarian vehicles were guided through the curious onlookers, exiting the square and bringing the hostages to safety.
The IDF confirmed the women were then transferred to the Israeli military and Shin Bet forces in the Gaza Strip.
The force said on X on Saturday morning: “The four returnees are now being escorted by an elite IDF unit and Shin Bet force on their way to Israel, where they will undergo an initial medical evaluation.
“IDF commanders and soldiers salute and embrace the returnees on their way to Israel.”
Their families were emotionally reunited with their girls for the first time in over 477 days.
Heartwarming images showed the girls’ parents hugging them
Despite this, their families and friends are overjoyed that they are back to safety.
Albag’s friends told Israeli outlet Ynet: “Yes! Yes! Yes! Liri the hero.
“We saw Liri coming back. She waved her hand and she seems fine. It’s crazy. We were really worried, but she’s a hero with a huge smile.”
DEAL-BREAKER
Hamas was accused of breaking the terms of the hostage arrangement by releasing the four female soldiers before releasing the civilian women, according to IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.
“Hamas did not abide by its obligation in the deal to free civilian women first,” he said in a televised statement on Saturday.
Hagari called for the immediate release of prisoner Arbel Yehud, whom Israel believes to be alive, as well as Shiri Bibas and her children, “who we have heavy concerns for their fate.”
The spokesperson said he expects Israel will receive more information about the Bibas family, including the five and two-year-old brothers, soon.
HORROR DAY
These four girls were snatched from their military base in Southern Israel in a terrifying attack.
Hamas militants released terrifying footage of the girls covered in blood as they were tied up in front of murderous invaders.
The young soldiers were also pushed up against a wall as a militant screamed “take pictures of them”.
“Our brothers died because of you, we will shoot you all,” a Hamas fighter screamed at the terrified girls.
The four IDF soldiers were held captive for 477 days of terror as their families fought for their release.
