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Four Israeli female soldiers held captive by Hamas have returned to Israel after surrendering to the Red Cross personnel while the ceasefire agreement on the Gaza Strip entered the second week.
About 200 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons were also decided to release on Saturday, under the terms of the agreement that banned more than 15 months of war. The ceasefire came into force last Sunday with the publication of three Israeli female civilian hostages and 90 Palestinian arrested.
Four soldiers-Liri Albag, 19, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Karina Ariev, 20, and Naama Levy, 20 caught by a military post on the Israel-Gaza border during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 that caused the conflict. Images and videos of their bloody abduction were broadcast last year. Their freedom has become a central demand for the movement of the pledge issuing joining the families of those still held captive in Gaza.
The surrender by Hamas’s disguised persons on the Red Cross took place in the Palestinian Square of Gaza, amidst a rally of hundreds of uniformed and armed militants and cheering viewers.
The four Israeli women were marched beyond the square and in a small scene holding a flag, in Hebrew, reading “Zionism will not win”. After they were briefly shaken in front of the crowd, they went into the Red Cross vehicles.
The Red Cross took all four to a transfer point, where they surrendered to Israeli special forces and intelligence agents that later returned to Israeli territory.
According to the Israeli army, the four soldiers are at a waiting point within Israel, where they are passing medical tests and waiting for a reunion with their parents.
The Hamasi force showing throughout the Gaza belt, with white -the -trucker columns full of armed people and flying the Hamas green flag aired on Arab TV stations and social media.
This second installment of the prison’s launch was immediately cast into doubt on Friday evening after Hamas announced that four soldiers would be released.
Israeli officials claimed that this was a violation of the terms of the agreement calling for still living civilians – which is believed to have been captured in captivity – to be released before the soldiers. The Israeli government, however, decided to move forward, and it remains unclear whether the civilian, Arbel Yehud, will be released as part of the exchange next week.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that until the issue of its release was “okay”, it would not allow hundreds of thousands of Palestinian displaced to return to northern Gaza – an act expected to begin later on Saturday.
Daniel Hagari, the spokesman of the Israeli army, said: “We appreciate and thank the efforts of all international intermediaries.. We expect them to ensure that Hamas stands in accordance with the agreement.”
Mediators led by the US provided a six -week ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas this month, the first phase of a three -phase complex agreement that can permanently complete the war and ensure the release of the remaining 90 hostages held by Hamas.
Donald Trump had warned that there would be “all hell to pay” if a deal had not been reached before his inauguration on Monday. On Friday, the new US president said: “The deal must hold, but if there are not many problems.”
Under the terms of the agreement, the first phase consists of the issuance of 33 Israeli hostages – including children, women, sick and elderly – in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, hundreds of whom are serving long sentences for terrorism and charges of charges killings. Omissions will occur in weekly installments during the 42 days of the first phase.
During this time, Israeli troops will be withdrawn from the populated areas on the shredded territory and the displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to their homes. Humanitarian aid that enters the bar has already increased significantly over the past week.
On the 16th day of the first phase, Israel and Hamas will begin to negotiate details of the second phase, during which the remaining lifestyle penagans will be released in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a further withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and a full end in war. The last phase will include the return of the felt hostage bodies and the beginning of the reconstruction of the Gaza.
