Terror group Hamas has announced plans to release four hostages on Saturday under the ongoing Gaza ceasefire deal.
The hostages have been identified as soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag. Their release will occur in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli custody.
This marks the second exchange since the ceasefire began last Sunday. The first swap saw three hostages and 90 prisoners released.
The ceasefire halted the war that erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza.
Daniella Gilboa (second right) and her family. Courtesy: Gilboa family
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 47,200 Palestinians, the majority civilians.
Hamas is also expected to share details about the remaining 26 hostages set to be released over the next five weeks. Among them is the Bibas family—two parents and two children, including 10-month-old Kfir, the youngest hostage. It remains unclear whether Hamas will release names or just the numbers of living or deceased hostages.
