Hamas hands over 4 Israeli soldiers as part of Gaza truce arrangement
Four Israeli hostages wave on a stage before Hamas fighters hand them over to a team from the Red Cross in Gaza City on January 25, 2025.(AFP)
Hamas hands over 4 Israeli soldiers as part of Gaza truce arrangement
The soldiers released include Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, who were transferred to the Red Cross in Gaza.
On Saturday, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas freed four Israeli soldiers in a swap for around 200 Palestinian detainees, as part of a ceasefire agreement designed to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has persisted for 15 months. The four soldiers were transferred to the Red Cross in Gaza, from where they were subsequently taken into custody by Israeli military personnel, as reported by AFP.
These soldiers were on duty at an observation post near the Gaza border and were captured by Hamas fighters who attacked their base on October 7, 2023.
According to a Palestinian source as reported by Reuters, one of the soldiers was in the custody of Islamic Jihad. This latest swap marks the second exchange since the truce between Israel and Hamas commenced on January 19. The initial exchange saw three Israeli civilians released in return for 90 Palestinian detainees.
Israel-Gaza truce
The ceasefire was established following extensive negotiations facilitated by Qatar and Egypt, with support from the United States, and has put an end to hostilities for the first time since a brief truce that lasted only a week in November 2023.
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