Hamas to release 4 women soldiers held hostage for 15 months on Saturday

Advocacy group representing the families of hostages confirmed the identities of the captive Israelis

Tel Aviv: Hamas announced on Friday that it would release four women soldiers held hostage for 15 months in Gaza, as part of an exchange for Palestinian prisoners laid out in its ceasefire agreement with Israel.

An advocacy group representing the families of hostages confirmed the identities of the captive Israelis to be released on Saturday.

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Under the ceasefire agreement that paused the 15-month war, Israel would release 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees in exchange for the four, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.

The four soldiers — Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19 — were captured in Hamas‘ October 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war and have had no contact with the outside world since then.

The Hostages Family Forum said late on Friday it “welcomes the news” about the expected release of Ariev, Gilboa, Levy and Albag.

“An entire nation has fought for them and anxiously awaits their longed-for return to their families’ embrace,” the group said.

Relatives of hostages still being held by militants in Gaza had earlier Friday called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure that all remaining captives are freed, while also appealing to US President Donald Trump to continue pressing for their release.

As a fragile six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas entered its sixth day, Israelis were waiting anxiously for the names of the next four hostages who will be released from among the more than 90 still held in Gaza.

In the Palestinian enclave, civilians in the central and southern part of the Gaza Strip faced an agonizing wait before they can return to the remnants of their home in the battered north.

Israel believes about a third, or possibly as many as half, of the more than 90 hostages still in Gaza have died. Hamas has not released definitive information on how many captives are still alive or the names of those who have died.

“Dear President Trump, first of all we want to say thank you for the happy moments we felt this week. But we want to tell you we still have 94 hostages, we need them all at home,” said Ayelet Samerano, whose son Yonatan Samerano is among those still being held. “Please do not stop. Please continue to press and do everything so that all the 94 hostages will come home immediately.”

In the first phase of the ceasefire deal, 33 hostages are expected to be released gradually in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The first three Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the first day of the ceasefire that has halted the 15-month war that has devastated Gaza.

According to the deal, on Friday Hamas was to announce the names of the next four hostages to be released on Saturday, after which Israel will also release a list of which Palestinian prisoners will be freed.

The hostages were among about 250 men, women and children captured by militants who burst across the border into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people in an attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

About 100 were released during a brief ceasefire in November that year, while the bodies of around three dozen hostages have been recovered in Gaza and eight hostages have been rescued by the army.

The 33 to be released in the first phase will include women, children, sick people and those over 50 — almost all civilians, though the deal also commits Hamas to freeing all living women soldiers in Phase 1.

Hamas will release living hostages first, but could release some bodies if they don’t have enough living hostages in this category. Men soldiers are not expected to be released in the first phase.

“This week we were moved to watch images of mothers embracing their daughters, but our hearts break thinking that my son Nimrod and other men remain behind, and each day they’re there poses a real danger to their lives,” said Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod Cohen is among the hostages.

“The worry that the deal won’t be fully implemented gnaws at us all. All senior officials openly say that stopping the deal means a death sentence for those left behind.”