NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Four female Israeli soldiers who were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel were released into Israeli custody on Saturday.
Karina Ariev, 20, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Albag, 19 were reunited with their families after 477 days in captivity.
In a statement, Israel’s army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari criticized what he called the “cynical” public display of the Israeli women by Hamas before their release. A large deployment of Hamas militants and crowds of civilians were gathered at Gaza City’s Palestine Square as the hostages were being handed to Red Cross officials.
In a video showing the initial transfer of the women from the Red Cross to the IDF, they are seen in good condition, hugging other soldiers. Albag is seen waving at the camera, doing a thumbs up and making a heart with her hands.
The families of the freed women were watching and cheering as they were transferred to the IDF special forces who, with ISA forces, accompanied them back into Israeli territory where they underwent a medical assessment.
Ariev, Gilboa, Levy and Albag then were brought to an initial reception point in southern Israel where they met with their parents, according to a statement from Israel. Emotional videos of the reunions were captured on video and posted to social media by the state of Israel.
“Today Israel has received four female soldiers that were held hostage by the Hamas terrorist organization, and in return, will release security prisoners according to the arrangement that was determined,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
According to the prime minister, Israel will not allow Palestinians to pass into the north of the Gaza Strip, which had been expected to begin on Sunday, until the release of citizen Arbel Yehud is arranged. She was taken from a kibbutz during the Oct. 7 attack.
A senior Hamas official said the group informed mediators that Yehoud will be released next week.
“We are committed to the return of Arbel Yehud, an Israeli citizen kidnapped from Nir Oz, and also Shiri Bibas and her two children, Kfir and Ariel, whose welfare we are extremely concerned about,” said LTC Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the IDF, in a video statement.
“We cannot and will not forget that 90 hostages including women, children and elderly men still remain in brutal conditions in Hamas captivity,” Shoshani said.
The spokesperson also thanked international mediators, including the United States, for their assistance in the exchange.
“Today the world celebrates as President Trump secured the release of four more Israeli hostages who were, for far too long, held against their will by Hamas in horrific conditions,” the White House said in a statement. “The United States will continue with its great partner Israel to push for the release of all remaining hostages and the pursuit of peace throughout the region.”
Buses carrying the 200 released Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah later Saturday as thousands of Palestinians gathered.
The head of a Palestinian prisoner advocacy group says that some of the 70 convicted militants being transferred to Egypt after their release from Israeli prison will ultimately be sent to other Arab countries.
Abdullah al-Zaghari, the head of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club, told The Associated Press that Algeria, Tunisia and Turkey have all expressed willingness to receive some of those required to live in exile according to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Saturday’s release comes six days after the hostages Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 were transferred to Israel as part of the ceasefire arrangement which is expected to last six weeks.
During that exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners were released from a West Bank military prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.