Four women, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, have been notified that their daughters, held captive in Gaza for 475 days, are scheduled for release this Saturday. This constitutes the second group of hostages to be freed.
Hamas publicly identified these four women, all Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers, on Friday, although media outlets were initially requested to withhold their names until their families were informed.
While the release of four more hostages is a positive step toward maintaining the ceasefire, it may violate the agreement. The deal stipulated that female civilians should be released before female soldiers, followed by elderly and injured men.
Among the 30 individuals Hamas has committed to releasing in the initial phase of the ceasefire, following the release of three women last week, two other female civilians were included: Arbel Yehud and Shiri Bibas, along with Bibas’s two sons, Kfir (9 months old at the time of abduction) and Ariel (4 years old at the time of abduction).
Israel urged Hamas to release Yehud this week, expressing concern over potential delays due to her alleged captivity by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, not Hamas.
There has been widespread anticipation of news regarding Shiri Bibas and her sons.
Hamas asserted in November 2023 that Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel were killed in an Israeli airstrike; however, Israel denies possessing intelligence to corroborate this claim.
Consequently, Shiri and her sons haven’t been officially declared deceased by Israeli authorities, leaving many hopeful for their reunion with Yaren Bibas, their father and husband, who is also slated for release in the first phase of the ceasefire.
Israeli officials reportedly informed the four women’s families that, despite Hamas’s announcement of their daughters’ imminent release, the situation remains subject to change.
Officials also reportedly contacted the family of another female IDF soldier held by Hamas, Agam Berger, as well as Yehud’s family, although the content of these conversations is unclear.
The four female soldiers scheduled for release on Saturday were believed, at one point, to have been held together with Berger.
The well-being of the hostages, and concerns about potential sexual violence against the female Israeli soldiers, have remained significant issues since their capture from the Nahal Oz post in October 2023.
Video footage from the day of the attack shows the women, bloodied and injured, being berated by Hamas terrorists before being loaded onto a truck amidst gunfire and taken into Gaza.
In exchange for their freedom, Israel has agreed to release approximately 50 Palestinian security prisoners for each female soldier, including some serving life sentences for terrorism.