Israeli soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, all 20, and Liri Albag, 19, were snapped in emotional moments after their release from captivity
Touching scenes unfolded today as four female Israeli hostages captured in the October 7 atrocity were reunited with loved ones.
The quartet of soldiers, taken 15 months ago, were set free by Hamas in exchange for 200 Palestinians. Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, all 20, and Liri Albag, 19, were snapped in emotional moments after their release. It marks the second swap since last weekend’s ceasefire which has halted fighting in war-torn Gaza.
With militants on either side of them, the four smiled as they waved and gave the thumbs-up from a stage in Gaza City’s Palestine Square to a crowd of thousands. They were then led off to waiting Red Cross vehicles. The Israeli military released pictures showing the hostages’ tender moments with loved ones. Ariev’s family told how their hearts were “filled with immense gratitude and happiness”.
“After 477 long and harrowing days of pain, worry and endless anxiety – we were finally able to hug our beloved Karina, hear her voice and see her smile that fills us with light again,” they said in a statement, according to The Times of Israel. The family added: “Our Karina is a symbol of courage, strength of heart and determination, and we are proud of her beyond words.” And Elbag’s family reportedly praised her for showing “superpowers”, adding she “survived hell, and we are so proud of her for her steadfastness in the impossible conditions”.
Israel’s Prison Service said today it had completed the release of 200 Palestinians. The group included 121 serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. Around 70 were released into Egypt – a key mediator in the talks that led to the truce – according to the country’s state-run Qahera TV.
Thousands of Palestinians gathered in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah to celebrate the arrival of buses carrying the prisoners. As the four Israelis were released, hundreds cheered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square where they were watching the drama unfold on a big screen. The freed captives were taken to an Israeli army base, where they were reunited with their parents.
As they arrived by helicopter to a Tel Aviv hospital, thousands of people dancing and celebrating outside looked up to see them land. Israel’s war against Hamas, sparked by the militant group’s October 7 attack killing about 1,200, has claimed the lives of over 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authority. The first exchange took place Sunday with the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners.
