Ceasefire Fruit, Hamas Releases Four Israeli Women's Soldiers

JAKARTA - The Palestinian warrior group, Hamas, handed over four Israeli female soldiers on Saturday as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal and a prisoner swap with Israel.

The four released soldiers, wearing Israeli military uniforms, smiled and waved on stage at the Palestinian Square, Gaza City, as they were handed over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The Israeli army confirmed that the four soldiers had been handed over to troops in Gaza before being transferred to Israel.

The military stated that the four soldiers were examined by doctors and were in relatively good physical condition.

Their medical condition is normal, without any findings requiring special medical intervention on site, military officials said.

Thousands of Palestinians gathered in the Palestinian Square to witness the handover of the four Israeli soldiers, including dozens of fighters from the armed wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigade.

The four Israeli soldiers whose names were proposed by Hamas on Friday were Liri Albag (19), Daniella Gilboa (20), Karina Ariev (20), and Naama Levy (20). They are members of the Israeli military surveillance unit at the Nahal Oz base.

During the handover process, the ICRC representative went up to the stage to sign the documents before the release of the four soldiers.

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Yahhi called the women's four soldiers' handover a propaganda act.

"This mission will not be completed until everyone returns to Israel," he added.

A total of 200 Palestinian prisoners are scheduled to be released in exchange for the four Israeli soldiers.

The first phase of the six-week Gaza ceasefire deal came into force on January 19, which halted the Israeli genocide war that has killed nearly 47,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 111,400 people since October 7, 2023.

The three-stage ceasefire deal includes a sustainable prisoner swap and calm, with the aim of reaching a permanent ceasefire as well as the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

Israeli attacks have left more than 11,000 people missing, massive devastation, and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed many lives, especially the elderly and children, in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.

In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Israeli authority leader Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense chief Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel is also facing genocide cases at the International Court for its war in the region.