Hamas to release four Israeli hostages in truce swap

 Hamas to Release Four Israeli Women Soldiers Under Ceasefire Agreement

Hamas is set to release four Israeli women soldiers who have been held hostage since the October 7, 2023 attack. The release, scheduled for Saturday, is part of a truce deal in the ongoing Gaza war, which will also see a second group of Palestinian prisoners freed.

The Israeli government confirmed on Friday that it had received a list of hostages due for release, though the exact number of Palestinian detainees to be freed remains unspecified.

According to the Israeli Hostage and Missing Families Forum, the women set for release are Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag. Albag turned 19 while in captivity, while the others are all now 20 years old.

Ceasefire Agreement and International Mediation

The exchange is part of a fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which took effect last Sunday and aims to lay the groundwork for a potential permanent end to the conflict.

The agreement was brokered by Qatar and the United States and was announced just days before the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who later claimed credit for securing the deal after months of failed negotiations.

Hamas’ Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, through spokesperson Abu Obeida, confirmed via Telegram on Friday that the group had decided to release the four women soldiers as part of the prisoner exchange deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed receiving the names of the hostages through mediators.

Prisoner Release and Logistics

Palestinian sources told AFP that the prisoner exchange could begin before noon (1000 GMT), although neither Hamas nor Israel has officially announced the exact timing.

According to Israel’s prison service, some of the Palestinian prisoners will be transferred to Gaza, while others will return to the occupied West Bank.

For families of hostages, the release brings hope after 15 months of uncertainty. Vicky Cohen, the mother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, expressed her fears, saying:

“The worry and fear that the deal will not be fully implemented is eating away at all of us.”

Meanwhile, in Gaza, displaced families longing to return home face a grim reality—many find only rubble where their houses once stood.

“Even if we wanted to return, there is no place to set up tents because of the destruction,” said Theqra Qasem, a displaced resident.

Three-Phase Ceasefire Plan

The ceasefire agreement is expected to be implemented in three phases:

1. Phase One (42 days) – 33 hostages believed to be alive will be exchanged for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

• Three hostages—Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher—have already been released.

• 90 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women and minors, have been freed in return.

2. Phase Two – Negotiations for a more permanent ceasefire.

3. Phase Three – The reconstruction of Gaza and the return of dead hostages’ bodies to Israel.

Casualties and Impact of the Conflict

During Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, the group took 251 hostages. Israeli intelligence confirms that 91 hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 who have been declared dead.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to official Israeli sources cited by AFP.

Israel’s retaliatory strikes have led to the deaths of at least 47,283 people in Gaza, with the majority being civilians, according to figures from Hamas-run health authorities—data the United Nations considers reliable.

Return of Displaced Palestinians to Northern Gaza

Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau in Qatar, told AFP that Palestinians displaced to southern Gaza will begin returning to northern Gaza following Saturday’s releases.

However, despite the hundreds of trucks delivering humanitarian aid since the ceasefire began, the situation in northern Gaza remains dire.

Aid workers report that hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals are living in makeshift shelters, schools, and even cemeteries, struggling with hunger, cold, and a lack of basic necessities.

What’s Next?

As the ceasefire deal progresses, both Israel and Hamas face significant challenges in implementing the next phases of the agreement. While families of hostages and displaced Palestinians hold onto hope, uncertainty remains regarding long-term peace negotiations and future military operations in Gaza.