Hamas frees four Israeli hostages as 200 Palestinian detainees released

Elation in both Israel and Palestinian territories as captives taste freedom

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Four Israeli women hostages held captive by Hamas for more than 15 months returned home on Saturday, as 200 Palestinian detainees held in Israel were released under the truce deal aimed at ending the Gaza war.

Liri Albag, 19, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Karina Ariev, 20, and Naama Levy, 20, were handed over by masked militants in Palestine Square in Gaza city, where they were led on to a stage to cheers from a crowd of thousands.

The group, all soldiers, were seen in television footage dressed in military fatigues, smiling and waving in front of a banner that read: "Zionism will not prevail."

They were first passed to the Red Cross before being transferred by Israel's military back into Israel. In Tel Aviv, where a crowd gathered to watch their release on a large screen at a plaza known as Hostage Square, there were tears and applause as Israeli flags flew.

The exchange saw equally jubilant scenes in the Palestinian territories as 200 detainees held by Israel were swapped for the four Israelis under a ceasefire agreement that took effect last weekend.

Four Israeli soldiers released under Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement

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Busloads of detainees were brought from Israel’s Ofer Prison into West Bank territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority on Saturday afternoon and crossed into Beitunia, just outside the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

Crowds of supporters mobbed the freed detainees as they arrived. A slow convoy of buses weaved through the packed streets of the Palestinian capital as hundreds walked alongside the vehicles, waving flags and chanting slogans.

Freed Palestinian detainees make their way to Ramallah in a bus on Saturday. Reuters

Israeli police said they had stationed forces across the West Bank to “maintain public order, security, and readiness for any scenario”.

Khalil Muslim Mohammad Buraq’ah, a 46-year-old released detainee from Bethlehem, said he had spent nearly 23 years in prison.

"We dedicate this reprieve to our people in Gaza who dedicated their lives to us. May God compensate them and make them victors for everything they’ve done," he said.

Some 130 of the Palestinian detainees were released into the West Bank and Gaza. The other 70 crossed into Egypt at the Rafah border, set to head for Cairo, an Egyptian Red Crescent officer told The National. The 70 in Egypt are expected to go into exile in Turkey, Tunisia and Algeria, a spokesman for the Palestinian Commission of Detainees Affairs said.

"Some will be transported via plane from Naqab [Negev] to Cairo, and others will be released into Gaza where they are likely to go through Karam Abu Salem crossing into Al Arish," Thaer Shreiteh told The National.

"They will remain in Egypt for 48 hours before going to the countries that have agreed to take them in: Turkey, Tunisia and Algeria."

Accusations of deal breach

Israel's chief military spokesman accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire agreement by releasing soldiers before freeing civilian women hostages. As a result, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Gazan civilians would not be allowed to return to their homes in the north of the enclave until Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud is released.

Israelis celebrate the hostage release in Petah Tikva on Saturday. Reuters

Ms Yehud, a civilian, was supposed to be freed in Saturday’s exchange, Mr Netanyahu's office said. Her whereabouts has been the subject of speculation in recent days, with reports suggesting her release has been complicated as she is held by militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, not Hamas.

Hamas reportedly informed mediators that Ms Yehud is alive and will be released in another swap next Saturday. The group said Israel was delaying implementation of the ceasefire by preventing displaced Gazans from returning north, warning it would have "repercussions" for subsequent stages of the deal.

The latest hostage-prisoner exchange is the second under the ceasefire agreement after 90 Palestinian detainees were released in Ramallah last week to jubilant scenes. They were freed in return for three Israeli female civilians, Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher.

Under the terms of the multi-stage deal to bring the devastating conflict in Gaza to a close, 33 Israeli hostages are to be freed over a six-week period in exchange for a total of about 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

In a subsequent phase, the two sides would negotiate the exchange of remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which lies largely in ruins after 15 months of fighting and Israeli bombardment.

Released Israeli hostage Daniella Gilboa, 20, embraces a loved one on Saturday. Reuters

The war in Gaza was sparked by a Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that saw the group kill 1,200 people and take 250 hostage. Israel's military response has killed more than 47,000 people in the enclave.

A week-long ceasefire in November 2023 saw Hamas release 105 hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees.

The four Israeli women freed on Saturday featured in a video released by Hamas in May 2024 showing five women with bloodied faces surrounded by militants from the group.

"Karina is a symbol of courage, heart, and determination," said a statement on Saturday from the family of Ms Ariev. "We will not rest until everyone returns home."