Hamas announced on Friday that it would release four Israeli women soldiers, who have been held hostage since the October 7 attacks. This release is part of a second exchange agreement under a ceasefire deal, which has temporarily halted the Gaza war. Israel confirmed receiving the list of names, and once the hostages are freed, Israel will release a group of Palestinian prisoners, though the exact number remains unspecified.
This is part of a broader ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The truce aims to end the conflict that began with the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida confirmed the release of the four hostages, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office acknowledged receiving the names.
Following the release, Palestinians displaced by the conflict in southern Gaza are expected to return to the north of the region, although many face the challenge of returning to destroyed homes.
The ceasefire is expected to unfold in phases, with the first phase involving the release of 33 hostages in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. The ultimate goal is a more permanent end to the war, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the return of deceased hostages’ bodies.
The first prisoner exchange on Sunday saw three Israeli hostages freed, and 90 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli jails. However, concerns remain among Israeli families that the ceasefire might collapse before the full deal is carried out.
The hostage-taking during Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,210 Israelis, with over 47,000 Palestinians killed in Israel’s retaliatory strikes.
