Four female Israeli soldiers, who were captured by Hamas fighters during the October 7, 2023 events in Israel, have returned to Israel after more than 15 months in captivity.
The four women—Karina Ariev (20), Daniella Gilboa (20), Naama Levy (20), and Liri Albag (19)—were transported away from Gaza City’s central Palestine Square in International Red Cross vehicles on the morning of Saturday, January 25, 2025.
This is a part of the ongoing hostage release process linked to a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
The hostages had been captured from the Nahal Oz military base on October 7, 2023. The four women were part of a group of Israeli soldiers who were captured by Hamas fighters. A fifth female soldier, Agam Berger (20), was captured alongside them but was not part of this release.
Before their release, a Red Cross delegate sat at a desk in view of the public and the media, signing documents alongside a Hamas fighter. Shortly after, the hostages were escorted onto a stage, where they waved to the crowd and the media.
The release of these four women follows the first phase of a ceasefire, which began on January 23, 2025, and is part of a broader agreement aimed at securing the eventual return of all Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
The release also comes in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners, who are set to be freed on the same day as part of the same ceasefire agreement. Both Israel and Hamas had previously agreed to release 33 hostages from Gaza in return for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Three hostages were freed earlier as part of the same truce agreement.
Israel’s government has confirmed that at least 94 hostages remain in Gaza, with 60 of them believed to still be alive. A second phase of the hostage exchange is set to continue over the next six weeks. More hostages are expected to be freed in the coming days.
