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From the Wall Street Journal: Hamas on Saturday released four more Israeli hostages under the Gaza cease-fire deal, raising hopes for other captives as the fragile agreement approaches its second week.
The militant group set free Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag, all female soldiers either 19 or 20 years old, who were taken from a military base near Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched attacks that sparked the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
The hostages were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in a square in Gaza City, before meeting Israeli forces who transported the women into Israel. At the square in Gaza, the hostages first walked onto a makeshift stage and, alongside Palestinian fighters, waved to journalists and hundreds of Palestinian civilians who had gathered for the Hamas-managed event.
A crowd that had gathered in a square in Tel Aviv simultaneously watched the release, smiling as the four women entered Red Cross vehicles. “Fifteen months we haven’t stopped crying, but now it’s from happiness,” an aunt of Albag told Israeli television, moments after seeing the first images of her niece in Gaza City.
Below is the moment the Red Cross vehicle brought the women into Israel.
This is the moment 🫶
Welcome home Liri, Daniella, Karina and Naama. 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/1DAbWX9Ix4
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 25, 2025
The families reacted with cheers when they saw live footage of the women being released.
The moment when tears of sadness turned into tears of joy as the released hostages’ families saw their loved ones finally coming back home 💛 pic.twitter.com/AvvByt9chZ
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 25, 2025
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a video showing the emotional moments as the four young women were finally reunited with their parents.
They’re in our hands now and we are not letting go💛
Welcome home, Daniella, Liri, Karina and Naama. pic.twitter.com/A1V9FcbQY6
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 25, 2025
A hug 477 days in the making. pic.twitter.com/GVfiT8iWus
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 25, 2025
IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari announced, “Today, as part of these ongoing efforts, we welcomed home four more Israeli hostages after 477 days in Hamas captivity…Our mission is not over until every single hostage comes home.”
“Today, as part of these ongoing efforts, we welcomed home four more Israeli hostages after 477 days in Hamas captivity…Our mission is not over until every single hostage comes home.”
🎥WATCH IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari’s statement regarding the release of 4 Israeli… pic.twitter.com/3VItQOhyKk
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) January 25, 2025
Liri, Daniella, Naama and Karina Are Home. pic.twitter.com/MzmgLtTWLQ
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 25, 2025
Hamas released four more Israeli hostages under the Gaza cease-fire deal, all of them female soldiers https://t.co/D1VSBvSY8a
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 25, 2025
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