Hamas frees four Israeli soldiers in truce swap

On Saturday, joyous crowds gathered in Tel Aviv’s “Hostage Square,” shedding tears of happiness as they watched footage of Hamas releasing four Israeli women soldiers held captive in Gaza.

The crowd, waving Israeli flags and holding up photos of the women, erupted in cheers as the handover to the Red Cross was broadcast live on a big screen.

The four soldiers, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, had been held since the October 7, 2023, attack. Albag, who turned 19 during her captivity, was the youngest of the group, while the others are 20 years old.

Their release was part of a truce agreement, which is also expected to involve the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody. However, neither side has disclosed the exact number of detainees to be released.