(NewsNation) — Another four hostages in Hamas captivity were released Saturday morning and have returned to Israel, nearly one week since the start of the ceasefire deal with Israel in the war in Gaza.
This is the second round of hostages freed since the deal took effect Sunday, Jan. 19.
The hostages are four female Israeli soldiers, 19-year-old Liri Albag and 20-year-olds Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa and Naama Levy, who were kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, in the Hamas attack that spawned the war.
Agam Berger, 20, was another female soldier abducted from their unit but was not included in the deal, reports say.
The four women were seen in military uniforms handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross a few minutes after 4 a.m. ET (11 a.m. local) in Gaza City. Shortly after, the Israeli military confirmed.
They will be medically evaluated, transferred to hospitals and then reunited with their families.
Crowds gathered in Tel Aviv and Gaza City ahead of the swap, the Associated Press reported.
On the first day of the ceasefire, Hamas released three female hostages — Emily Damari, 28; Romi Gonen, 24; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 — in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners. An additional 200 prisoners were set free on Saturday.
Saturday’s exchange marks seven out of the promised 33 hostage releases in the first phase of the ceasefire.
The ceasefire will pan out in three, six-week phases. Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from Gaza during phase two, bringing a long-awaited end to the gunfire that has killed nearly 47,000 Palestinians.
