Hamas set to release four Israeli soldier hostages in second swap

25/1/2025 16:44

The Palestinian militant movement Hamas is expected to release four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday in exchange for a group of Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the 15-month-old war in Gaza.



Dozens of masked and armed Hamas and fellow Islamic Jihad militants gathered at a square in Gaza City, where a podium was set up, as a crowd of Palestinians gathered round. A banner hanging off the stage read in Hebrew "Zionism will not prevail."



A team from the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza was on the way to collect the Israeli hostages from Hamas, an official involved in the operation told Reuters.



The four soldiers - Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag - were all stationed at an observation post on the edge of Gaza and abducted by Hamas fighters who overran their base during the attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.



One of the soldiers' was being held by Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian source said.



The Hamas prisoners media office said it expected 200 prisoners to be freed on Saturday as part of the exchange, including 120 serving life sentences and 80 prisoners with other lengthy sentences.