Hamas has announced the names of four hostages to be released on Saturday as part of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire agreement. The identified individuals are soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag.
The planned exchange will see the release of these hostages in return for 180 Palestinian prisoners currently held in Israeli custody. This will mark the second such exchange since the ceasefire took effect last Sunday. In the initial exchange, three hostages were released alongside 90 Palestinian prisoners.
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The ceasefire paused the hostilities that began after Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages. Since then, more than 47,200 Palestinians, primarily civilians, have reportedly died in Israeli military operations, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Hamas is also expected to share details about the remaining 26 hostages due for release over the next five weeks. Among them is the Bibas family, including two parents and two children, one of whom, Kfir, was only 10 months old when captured—the youngest hostage in the group. It is unclear whether the provided details will include names or simply the number of hostages still alive or deceased.
The second group of prisoners to be freed by Israel is reported to include individuals convicted of more serious offenses, with some serving sentences exceeding 15 years. However, Israel maintains that no one directly involved in the October 7 attacks will be released.
Ariev, Gilboa, Levy, and Albag were captured at the Nahal Oz military base, where Hamas gunmen overran defences. Video footage had earlier shown the women tied and pleading for help while being taunted by their captors. Three weeks ago, Hamas released a video of Albag, aged 19, urging the Israeli government to finalize an agreement for their release.
The ongoing truce follows months of indirect negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. The ceasefire agreement is designed to be implemented in stages. During the first stage, approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for 33 hostages. Israeli forces are expected to begin withdrawing from positions in Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to their homes or former communities.
The truce aims to create the groundwork for a permanent resolution to the war in Gaza. Currently, 91 hostages taken on October 7 remain in Gaza, with Israel estimating that 57 are still alive. Additionally, three other hostages—two alive—have been held for over a decade.
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