Hamas releases names of 4 female Israeli soldiers to be freed in second exchange following cease-fire deal

Hamas has revealed the names of the four Israeli hostages who will be freed on Saturday in the second exchange since the cease-fire deal between the Jewish state and terror group went into effect last week. 

Hamas announced Friday that soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag will be released after spending more than 15 months in captivity in exchange for additional Palestinian prisoners — as part of the first phase of the agreement reached with Israeli officials. 

The exchange is expected to take place on Saturday afternoon.

Israel agreed to accept the four hostages despite accusing Hamas of violating the precarious cease-fire deal because one of the two civilian hostages still captive in Gaza was not on the list of names to be released tomorrow.

Per the terms of the agreement, Hamas must release all of the female civilian hostages before then freeing female IDF soldiers.

This week, Israel has demanded that Hamas free civilian hostage Arbel Yehud, 29 be part of this weekend’s exchange — however Yehud is believed to be in the custody of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and not Hamas, according to reports.

The hostage and cease-fire deal requires the terror group to provide the names of hostages at least 24 hours ahead of their release — a condition it failed to meet on Jan. 19, the first day of the cease-fire, and delayed the first three female hostages from being freed. 

The cease-fire deal nearly crumbled after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the terror group of failing to fulfill their end of the pact when they didn’t release the names of the captives slated to be released before the plan was meant to begin.

Despite the delay, Romi Gonen, 23, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were the first of 33 women, children and men under 50 to be freed by Hamas during the first phase of the three-stage deal. 

During this period, where a six-week pause in fighting in the war-torn Palestinian enclave is in effect, the remaining Israeli hostages will be gradually freed from captivity in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, as well as all detained Palestinian women and children.

Israel agreed to allow 30 Palestinian women, children and elderly prisoners go in exchange for every hostage freed from Gaza. For every female soldier released, the Jewish state will deliver 50 Palestinian prisoners — including 30 facing life sentences. 

There were 97 Israeli hostages — civilians and soldiers — listed in captivity when the deal was inked, but only 60 are believed to be alive. 

There are seven female hostages still in Hamas’ hands, according to the Times of Israel: Arbel Yehud, 29, Shiri Silberman Bibas, 33, Liri Albag, 19, Karina Ariev, 20, Agam Berger, 21, Daniella Giboa, 20, and Naama Levy, 20. 

All of the women, except for Yehud and Bibas, are soldiers. 

The first phase will additionally see hundreds of trucks filled with desperately needed humanitarian aid go into Gaza daily while Israeli soldiers temporarily retreat to a buffer zone along the border to allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes. 

The second phase of the agreement — which will begin 16 days after the cease-fire — is rife with details that are turning into sticking points for the warring sides in the negotiations to find a permanent solution to stop the violence. 

If Israel and Hamas reach a further deal at this point, all remaining hostages are to be freed and, in return, Israel will completely withdraw from Gaza — but not until Hamas gives up its military and political power. 

The final phase of the cease-fire could see Hamas hand over the bodies of the rest of the missing hostages in Gaza in return for a three- to five-year rebuilding plan in the decimated Palestinian territory under international supervision. 

The devastating conflict in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when the terrorists and their allies slaughtered roughly 1,200 people in Israel in a surprise attack and took another roughly 250 hostage. 

The pause in fighting is the first in Gaza since November 2023, when a brief truce took place during a temporary cease-fire deal.