Jerusalem/Gaza, Jan 25 (EFE).- Hamas Saturday freed four Israeli female soldiers after 477 days of captivity in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Army said.
The soldiers crossed into Israeli territory before reuniting with their families after their captivity ended thanks to the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, under which 200 Palestinian prisoners were set to be released.
The hostages, accompanied by security forces and the domestic intelligence service, Shin Bet, crossed the border into Israel and were on their way to reunite with their families and undergo a medical check-up.
“As part of the ongoing efforts, we welcome four more Israeli hostages,” military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a video conference, vowing that the “mission will not end until all the captives are returned.”
The freed soldiers, Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, and Naama Levy, all aged between 19 and 20, were captured on Oct. 7, 2023, at the Nahal Oz military base, one kilometer from the Gaza Strip, where they were on their compulsory military service as spotters.
A fifth companion, Agam Berger, remains in captivity, and it is unknown if she is still alive.
At 11:36 local time (9:36 GMT), the Army reported that the released soldiers were under its custody, having been transferred in the northern city of Gaza from Hamas, which organized a parade of forces with hundreds of militants gathered in Plaza Palestina, to the vehicles of the Red Cross.
The Hostages and Families Forum, the main Israeli group representing some families of the still 87 hostages in Gaza, stated that the return of the young women “represents a moment of hope and triumph.”
“We will not stop fighting until all phases of this agreement are completed and until the last hostage returns home to their loved ones. We extend our deepest gratitude to President Trump, whose instrumental efforts made this agreement possible,” the organization said in a statement.
Fifteen observer women died at this base during the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people, while seven were taken to Gaza.
The other two observers from Nahal Oz are Ori Megidish, rescued by the Israeli Army in October 2023, and Noa Marciano, who died in captivity and whose body was found near Al Shifa Hospital and transferred to Israel in November 2023.
Sources from the Palestinian Ministry of Health told EFE that 121 of the 200 Palestinian prisoners will be transferred to Egypt and the Gaza Strip. EFE
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