Hamas releases 4 female hostages as part of Israel cease-fire deal

The terrorist group Hamas has released four additional hostages from Gaza following a ceasefire deal with Israel that went into effect nearly a week ago. The four hostages, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, who are all members of the Israeli Defense Forces, were freed in the second round of releases. This comes after the first round of releases which saw Romi Gonen, Emily Demari, and Doron Steinbrecher being set free.

In exchange for the release of these hostages, Israel was expected to free 200 Palestinian prisoners, including 120 militants serving life sentences for deadly attacks. The Red Cross confirmed that the four Israeli hostages were transferred to them and are on their way back to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip. Video footage from Palestine Square in Gaza showed the women hostages being taken from cars, alive and walking in their uniforms.

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, a total of 33 hostages are set to be released over six weeks, including those who have already been freed, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Hamas had agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on the seventh day, and the remaining 26 over the following weeks.

This ceasefire marks the second truce achieved during the ongoing war that began over a year ago. The conflict started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, leading to military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages still remain in captivity in Gaza.

The release of these hostages is a significant step towards peace in the region, and both sides are hopeful that this ceasefire will lead to further progress in resolving the long-standing conflict. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.