West Asia Ceasefire: Hamas Releases 4 Female Israeli Soldiers; Israel Sets Free 200 Palestinians

The Hamas militant group Saturday released four Israeli hostages it said it would release as part of the six-week-long ceasefire after Israel's devastating war on Gaza. According to the Associated Press, the four female Israeli soldiers were handed over to the Red Cross after parading them before a crowd.

According to Reuters, Hamas on Friday said they would be releasing four female Israeli soldiers namely Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag on Saturday.

Hamas agreed to release the hostages in exchange for the release of dozens of imprisoned Palestinians. Israel also released 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees later in the day as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Associated Press, Israel's Prison Service later said it had completed the release of 200 Palestinians. They include 120 who had been serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. Around 70 were released into Egypt, according to Egypt's state-run Qahera TV.

The first three Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners on January 20, Sunday, the first day of the ceasefire.

While Hamas triggered the war with its October 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive, Israel in retaliation escalated the offensive to unimaginable level killing over 46,000 Palestinians. According to local health officials, women and children make up more than half the dead.

About the ceasefire deal

With mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, a ceasefire was recently agreed upon after 15 months of bloodbath and devastation of an unimaginable scale in Gaza. The ceasefire, to be executed in three phases, began on January 20.

The first phase

In the first phase, lasting six weeks, hostages and prisoners will be exchanged. Thirty-three Israeli captives, including women, children, and older civilians, taken during the October 7, attack, will be released. 

In return, Israel will free a larger number of Palestinian prisoners, including women, children under 19, those detained after the October 7 attacks. The exact number of Palestinian prisoners to be released depends on the hostages freed during this phase.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu instructed a special task force to prepare to receive the hostages returning from Gaza. According to the Associated Press, Israel's justice ministry has already published a list of 95 Palestinians to be freed starting Sunday once approved by the government. The release will not begin before 4 pm local time Sunday.

The second phase

The second phase of the ceasefire agreement, set to be negotiated by the 16th day of phase one, focuses on securing a permanent end to the war. It includes the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza, including Israeli male soldiers, in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners. A key part of this phase is for the war to stop permanently and for Israeli forces to fully withdraw.

However, both sides have conditions. Israel has stated that a full troop withdrawal will only occur once all hostages are returned and Hamas's military capabilities are dismantled. Meanwhile, Hamas has insisted it will not release the last hostages until Israel completely withdraws its troops.

The Third Phase

The third and final phase focuses on rebuilding Gaza and ensuring the return of the bodies of any remaining hostages. The reconstruction effort will be overseen by Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations. 

There is no clarity or agreement on who will govern Gaza after the ceasefire. While Israel has opposed any role for Hamas in the leadership, the Palestinian Authority lacks credibility among Gaza's residents, leaving the future leadership of the region uncertain.