Saturday, January 25, 2025 - EL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Hamas militants handed over four captive female Israeli soldiers to the Red Cross in Gaza City on Saturday after parading them in front of a crowd. Israel followed with the release of the first 70 of 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees due to be set free 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. They were likely acting under duress, with previously released
hostages saying they were held in brutal conditions and forced to record
propaganda videos.
Israel meanwhile released 70 Palestinian prisoners who will not be
allowed to return to the Gaza Strip or West Bank, 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.
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.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office later released a video
showing the freed hostages being welcomed at an Israeli army base. One of them,
Liri Albag, smiled, gave two thumbs up and made a heart shape with her hand
before getting into a van.
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, which had been expected
to begin by Sunday, until she is freed.
A senior Hamas official said the group has informed mediators that
Yehoud will be released next week.
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