Hamas frees 4 female Israeli soldiers, keeps one civilian behind

In exchange, Israel is expected to release 200 Palestinian terrorists, many who were serving life sentences for murder.

By JNS and WIN

Israelis on Saturday rejoiced at the return of four female IDF soldiers—Karina Ariev, 20, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Albag, 19—who were abducted from the Nahal Oz base during the Hamas-led invasion of the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israel Defense Forces earlier Saturday completed preparations for the return of the captives, who were brought to a military facility near the border for a preliminary physical and psychological examination.

Thereafter, they were slated to meet with their parents—this time fathers as well as mothers—for the first time since being kidnapped 477 days ago.

They will then be flown by helicopter to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah, near Tel Aviv.

If they had needed urgent care, they would have been taken to a hospital closer to the Gaza Strip—either Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva or Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon—but this was not the case.

In exchange, Jerusalem is expected to release 200 Palestinian terrorists (50 for each soldier—30 serving life sentences and 20 who were supposed to remain in prison for up to 15 years).

Terrorists who were “convicted of murder, of manufacturing weapons used for murder, or of directing the carrying out a fatal attack” are to be deported to the Gaza Strip or abroad, instead of to Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, Hamas was supposed to free female civilian hostages before soldiers. One civilian woman, 29-year-old Arbel Yehud, remains in Gaza. It is not clear whether her exclusion from Saturday’s release will complicate the agreement.

Shiri Bibas, 33, another female civilian hostage, was taken with her two children, and they are included on the list of the 33 hostages to be released. Hamas, however, claimed in November that they were killed.

Three civilian women—Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher—were released last Sunday in return for 90 terrorists (30 for each civilian) shortly after the ceasefire went into effect.

Of the hostages whom Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7, 87 are still in Gaza, including 30 who are believed to be dead. Hamas also holds three additional hostages taken before the 2023 attack.