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(News) – Four more hostages in Hamas captivity were released on Saturday morning and have returned to Israel, almost a week since the start of ceasefire agreement with Israel in War in Gaza.
This is the second round of hostages released since the deal came into force on Sunday 19 January.
The hostages are four female Israeli soldiers, 19-year-old Liri Albag and 20-year-old Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa and Naama Levy, who were kidnapped on October 7, 2023 in the Hamas attack that sparked the war.
Agam Berger, 20, was another female soldier abducted from their unit but was not included in the deal, reports say.
The four women were seen in military uniforms, which were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross a few minutes after 04 ET (11 am local) in Gaza City. Shortly after, the Israeli military confirmed.
They will be medically evaluated, transferred to hospitals and then reunited with their families.
Crowds gathered in Tel Aviv and Gaza City ahead of the swap, The Associated Press reported.
On the first day of the ceasefire, Hamas released three female hostages – Emily Damari, 28; Romi Gonen, 24; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 – in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners. Another 200 prisoners were released on Saturday.
Saturday’s exchange marks seven of the promised 33 hostage releases in the first phase of the ceasefire.
The truce will Pan out in three, six week phases. Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from Gaza in phase two, bringing a long-awaited end to the shooting that has killed nearly 47,000 Palestinians.
