Four Israeli women—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—who had been held captive by Hamas for 477 days, were released on Shabbos after being paraded in Gaza City before being handed over to the Red Cross. Calmly walking alongside their captors, the women smiled and waved at the large crowd gathered in the square by Hamas. This release marked the second wave of hostages freed under the ongoing ceasefire deal, which would also see Israel release 200 Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences for murder and terrorism.
A crowd of Palestinians gathered early that morning in the same Gaza City square where Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher were freed just days earlier. Unlike the chaos surrounding the previous release, Hamas meticulously staged the event this time. Armed Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad gunmen created a security perimeter around the stage, while a drone flew overhead distributing candy to the crowd. After the Red Cross arrived, the four women were transported to the square in separate vehicles, dressed in olive-colored clothes resembling IDF uniforms, and holding “gift bags” from Hamas. The stage was adorned with slogans in both English and Arabic, including one that read “Palestine: The victory of the oppressed people vs the Nazi Zionism,” and a large Hebrew sign proclaiming, “Zionism will not win.”
The four women appeared in relatively good health as they took the stage, smiling and waving to the crowd while holding hands, before being escorted by masked gunmen into Red Cross vehicles waiting nearby. According to Israel’s Health Ministry, previous releases saw Hamas drugging hostages to make them appear happy. This scene contrasted sharply with their appearances when they were first captured on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants stormed their military base in Nahal Oz, dragging the bloodied and terrified soldiers into Gaza in their pajamas.
Once freed, Ariev (20), Gilboa (20), Levy (20), and Albag (19) were handed over to IDF special forces by the Red Cross and escorted back to Israel through the border. Upon arrival at the Re’im IDF facility, they were reunited with their families and given a quick medical check-up. “They are in safe hands and on their way home,” said IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari in a televised statement.

On Shabbos afternoon, Hamas released a propaganda video showing the release, where the hostages were each given a “prisoner release form,” framed certificates, and keychains featuring the Palestinian flag. The women were also forced to wear badges displaying their personal details, attached to lanyards adorned with the Palestinian flag. In the video, the women were heard thanking Hamas in Arabic for their treatment, likely under duress, before being transported to the Red Cross. Hagari condemned Hamas for turning the release into a staged ceremony, stating, “Hamas is a murderous terror group. In the last few hours, Hamas proved its cruelty by organizing a cynical ceremony,” and adding that the group “presented a misrepresentation of treatment and care for the hostages, while in reality, it is cruelly holding for 477 days innocent civilians.” “The mission will not end until all of them return to Israel,” he emphasized.
The military confirmed that the four hostages were examined by army doctors after their transfer from the Red Cross and found to be in relatively good physical condition. “Their medical condition is normal, with no findings that require special [emergency] medical intervention on the ground,” military officials reported. Further assessments would be conducted by doctors and mental health specialists at an army base near the border before they are taken to a hospital for additional care.

At the Re’im facility, the families of the four women expressed their overwhelming joy as they watched their loved ones emerge from the Hamas vehicles. “I’m extremely excited, exhilarated,” said one onlooker, Gili Roman. “In a heartbeat, in a split of a second, their lives are going to turn upside again, but right now for a positive and a good side.” His sister had been released in the previous ceasefire, but another relative had been killed during captivity. The families of the four hostages expressed their relief and excitement as well. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Liri the hero,” Albag’s friends told Ynet. “We saw Liri coming back. She waved her hand and she seems fine. It’s crazy. We were really worried, but she’s a hero with a huge smile.”
Gilboa’s family shared their joy with Channel 12, stating, “She is a hero. We were so happy to see her on her feet.” A friend of Levy’s expressed their amazement at seeing the four women so well after their ordeal. “I have no words to describe the feelings now to see Naama back on her feet along with three other amazing, heroic girls,” the friend said. They admitted to fearing the worst, imagining their loved one might be physically broken by the trauma. “We don’t know what she went through there, and we can only imagine the hell. I thought the worst, I dreamed that she was coming out in the worst possible condition, sitting or lying down or worse,” they said.
Despite the overwhelming joy, concerns remained for other hostages still being held by Hamas. Hagari criticized the timing of the release, stating that Hamas had violated the agreement by releasing the four soldiers before all civilian women were freed. “Hamas did not abide by its obligation in the deal to free civilian women first,” he said. He also confirmed that Israel would ensure the release of civilian hostages like Arbel Yehud, who Israel believes to still be alive, as well as Shiri Bibas and her children. “We have heavy concerns for their fate,” Hagari added.
He also reiterated Israel’s commitment to the return of Agam Berger, another soldier kidnapped in the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, and all other hostages. The five are among seven female soldiers abducted from the Nahal Oz army base during the massacre. One of the soldiers, Ori Megidish, was rescued alive, and the body of another, Noa Marciano, was recovered after she was killed while in captivity. Following the return of the four hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement noting that Israel would delay allowing Palestinians to return to northern Gaza in response to Hamas’s failure to meet its obligations regarding Yehud’s release.
“In accordance with the agreement, Israel will not allow the passage of Gazans to the north of the Gaza Strip until the release of civilian Arbel Yehud, who was supposed to be released today, can be arranged,” the statement said. The decision was reportedly made after Netanyahu’s security consultations on Friday night, just after Hamas announced the names of the four hostages but before the releases took place. The announcement meant the IDF would not withdraw from part of the Netzarim Corridor as scheduled.

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, Israel was set to allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza after withdrawing from the northern half of the corridor on day seven. However, Yehud’s name was absent from the list of hostages released on Friday, and Hamas has yet to provide detailed information on the status of the remaining 26 hostages, leaving Israel concerned about whether the group will only provide vague details on their conditions.
Following the hostages’ release, Israel freed 200 Palestinian security prisoners, including some serving life sentences for their involvement in attacks that killed Israelis. Among those released were Mohammad Odeh and Wael Qassim, who were responsible for a series of deadly Hamas attacks, including a bombing at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2002 that killed nine people, including five US citizens.
At least 87 of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 are still held in Gaza, with at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF. While Hamas has released seven hostages during this ceasefire, it has also released civilians in previous truces. Several hostages have been rescued alive, while the bodies of others have been recovered, including three killed by Israeli forces during an attempted escape. Additionally, Hamas is holding two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015, as well as the remains of an IDF soldier killed in 2014.