Palestinian militant group Hamas has released four female Israeli soldiers in exchange for approximately 200 Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the ongoing 15-month conflict in Gaza.
The four soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza before being transferred to Israeli military forces, according to AFP. These soldiers were abducted by Hamas during an attack on their base on October 7, 2023.
One of the released soldiers had reportedly been held by Islamic Jihad, as per a Palestinian source cited by Reuters.
This marks the second prisoner exchange since the ceasefire began on January 19, 2025. In the first exchange, Hamas released three Israeli civilians in return for 90 Palestinian prisoners.
Ceasefire Agreement Highlights:
- Brokered by Qatar and Egypt with U.S. support.
- Six-week agreement: Hamas to release 33 hostages, including children, women, and the sick, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
- Israeli troops to withdraw from parts of Gaza as part of the agreement.
- A future phase includes discussions for the release of remaining hostages and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The conflict began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages. Since then, more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, as per health authorities.
