Four Israeli soldiers released but Israel continues to block Palestinian return to northern Gaza

Hamas militants handed over four captive female Israeli soldiers on Saturday, but Israel said it would not allow Palestinians to begin returning to northern Gaza until another is freed.

Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees later in the day as part of the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The four smiled broadly as they waved and gave the thumbs-up from a stage in Gaza City’s Palestine Square, militants on either side of them and a crowd of thousands watching, before they were led off to waiting Red Cross vehicles.

The women were likely acting under duress.

Egypt

Thousands of Palestinians gathered in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah to celebrate the arrival of buses carrying the prisoners. Many waved Palestinian flags or the flags of different political factions

Israel, meanwhile, released 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt, according to Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV, which said they had arrived on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza.

Egypt served as a key mediator in more than a year of talks that led to the truce agreement. Many of the 200 Palestinian prisoners set for release on Saturday are to be sent into exile.

As the four soldiers were released, hundreds of people cheered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square where they were watching the drama unfold on a big screen television.

“I’m speechless,” said Aviv Bercovich, one of the onlookers. “I had goosebumps watching them. I just want the war to end.”

Israel confirmed that the hostages were with its forces not long after they were driven away from the handover in Gaza City by the Red Cross.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office later said that Arbel Yehoud, a civilian hostage held by Hamas, was supposed to have been released Saturday.

It said Israel would not allow Palestinians to begin returning to northern Gaza until she is freed.

The crowds in Tel Aviv and also in Gaza City began gathering earlier in the day in anticipation of the second such exchange between Israel and Hamas since a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip last weekend.

The excitement in Israel was palpable, with TV stations filled with live reports from smiling news anchors and reporters interviewing ecstatic friends and relatives of the hostages.

Truce

The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the militant group.

The fragile deal has so far held, quieting airstrikes and rockets and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

When the ceasefire started on Sunday, three hostages held by the militants were released in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners, all women and children.

The four Israeli soldiers: Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19; were captured in Hamas’ October 7 2023 attack that ignited the war.

In exchange, Israel was to release 200 prisoners, including 121 who were serving life sentences, according to a list released by Hamas.

Of those, the list indicated that 70 would be expelled from Gaza and the West bank but did not say where.

Israel’s air and ground war, one of the deadliest and most destructive in decades, has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were militants.

They say women and children make up more than half the fatalities.