Gaza sees second hostage swap

26/1/2025 13:21

Gaza saw the second hostage swap on Saturday as Hamas freed four female Israeli soldiers in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, a part of a six-week ceasefire starting Jan. 19.



Earlier Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency confirmed that four female Israeli soldiers held in Gaza had returned to Israel after being handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross, a neutral intermediary that ensured the smooth and secure implementation of the exchange.



However, not all Palestinian hostages would arrive home on Saturday.



Shortly after, the Israel Prison Service announced that all 200 Palestinian prisoners set to be released had been freed. Most were sent to the West Bank with around 70 of them deported to Egypt through the Rafah crossing, according to Palestinian sources and Egyptian media.



Israel said it would not allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza until Arbel Yehuda, another female civilian hostage, had been freed.



Yehuda was also due to be released on Saturday alongside three other female soldiers, but she was somehow excluded from the release.



Yehuda was "alive and in good health" and would be "released as part of the third swap set for next Saturday," Hamas sources was quoted by local Palestinian media as saying.