Hamas names four Israeli 'women soldiers' to be freed Saturday

AFP , Friday 24 Jan 2025

Hamas's armed wing on Friday named four Israeli "women soldiers" it intends to release the following day as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, with Israel confirming it received the names shortly after.

Hamas
Fighters of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, stand by vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Saraya Square in western Gaza City. AFP

 

"As part of the prisoners' exchange deal, the (Ezzedine) al-Qassam Brigades decided to release tomorrow four women soldiers," said Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the group's armed wing, on Telegram. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed it had received the names through mediators.

Earlier, Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau based in Doha, told AFP his group would provide the names of the four captives as part of the second prisoner exchange.

"Tomorrow, Saturday, the four women hostages will be released in exchange for a group of Palestinian prisoners, as agreed upon in the ceasefire deal," Naim said.

He also said that once the exchange takes place, war-displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza will be able to begin returning to the north of the territory.

"An Egyptian-Qatari committee will oversee the implementation of this part of the agreement on the ground," Naim noted.

"The displaced will return from the south to the north via Al-Rashid Road, as Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from there in accordance with the agreement."

The ceasefire agreement was brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States after months of intense negotiations.

The truce, the second in the more than 15 months of war, began on Sunday, with the first three captives released in exchange for around 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The Israeli war on Gaza has killed at least 47,283 people, mostly women and children, according to the territory's health ministry, figures the UN considers reliable.

During the Hamas offensive on 7 October 2023, fighters took 251 captives, 91 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military has confirmed are deceased.

The first truce, implemented in late November 2023, lasted just one week but involved the release of 105 captives in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

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