Hamas released four Israeli hostages in Gaza early on Saturday in exchange for releasing 200 Palestinian prisoners later in the day. It was the second release that occurred as part of the cease -fire agreement Who started last weekend. Israel followed the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners.

A large crowd gathered at the Palestine Square in Northern Gaza to witness the surrender of the hostage to the Red Cross. A number of armed Hamas militants in uniform gathered for release, around a podium with Hamas slogan. Drones could be seen release small packages, which Israeli media reported, contained candy, to the audience.

Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19, was captured in Hamas October 7, 2023 Terrorist attack which ignited the Israel-hamas-war. About 1,200 people were killed in Israel, and over 47,000 have since been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.

The four female soldiers were kidnapped from the military base NaLal Oz, at the border with Northern Gaza, when Palestinian militants drove over on October 7. They had served in a lookout unit there.

The White House said in a statement on Saturday that they celebrate their release and that the United States will “continue with its great partner Israel to push for the release of all the remaining hostages and the quest for peace throughout the region.”

Before being released, members of the Red Cross were taken up on the podium on the Palestine Square, where they signed documents together with Hamas militants.

The four Israeli women arrived in the square in cars. They appeared in military -style uniforms and were also brought up on the podium, where they smiling gave their thumbs up and waved to the audience. They then sat down in the Red Cross vehicles and began their journeys out of Gaza.

In Tel Aviv, crowds gathered to celebrate the hostage of the hostage to Israel after 476 days of captivity.

Over 60 other soldiers were killed at the NaLal Oz base during the terrorist attack on October 7, and another female soldier was taken hostage from the same unit, although she was not included in Saturday’s release.

Liri Albag’s family has said that she had managed to send messages back to them through other hostages that had been released earlier.

Before today’s release, seven Israeli women were held imprisoned in Gaza, including five IDF officials and two civilians. One of the civilians is Arbel Yehoud, which was brought away from Kibbutz nir oz.

The other Israeli civilian is Shiri bibaswhich was taken with their two small children Ariel and Kfir. Hamas has claimed that Shiri, Ariel and Kfir were later killed in an Israeli bombing in Gaza.

In a television interview in June, the then Israeli minister Benny Gantz suggested that the government knew what had happened to the Bibas family, but said it could not give any details.

According to the terms of the ceasefire agreement and release of hostages, civil hostages would be released before soldiers, and Yehoud was expected to be among the four released on Saturday.

“Hamas failed to fulfill his obligations to first release Israeli female civil hostages as part of the agreement,” said IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari in a statement after release. “We are determined to return Arbel Yehoud, an Israeli citizen kidnapped from Nir Oz, and also Shiri Bibas and her two children, Kfir and Ariel, whose welfare we are extremely concerned about. We appreciate and thank all international mediators’ efforts, The United States, Qatar and Egypt and we expect them to ensure that Hamas is in accordance with the agreement.

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said that the exchange of Palestinian prisoners would continue, but that people in Gaza would not be allowed to cross the Netzarim corridor.

“Today, Israel received four kidnapped female soldiers from the terrorist organization Hamas and will in return release security prisoners according to the set key,” said Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office in a statement. “In accordance with the agreement, Israel will not allow the passage of the Gazaborn north of the Gaza Strip – until the release of the citizen Arbel Yehoud, which was supposed to be released today, is arranged.”

Al Jazeera reported that a high Hamas official said Yehoud would be released next Saturday.

Israel’s prison service later said that they had completed the release of 200 Palestinians, including 121 served life sentences. They are expected to be sent to Gaza, Egypt and potentially other countries in the region.

After Saturday’s exchange, Israeli forces are expected to start withdraw from the central route that share northern and southern Gaza from east to west, called the Netzarim corridor. civilian Palestinian who was displaced from northern gaza Should then be able to travel back, even if at this stage they will only be allowed to reach the ceremony agreement.

Some displaced Palestinians who could return to their homes in the south after the first hostage and catch exchange last weekend found nothing but waste, and in some cases only the skeletal remains of loved ones who were killed in the fighting.

The Israel-Hamas Agreement on ceasefire and release of hostage is expected to take place in stages, with each phase negotiated during the phase that comes before it.

The first phase, which started last Saturday, includes the release of Hamas by 33 hostages over a six -week period. They include women, children and hostages over 50, according to a draft CBS News has seen.

On the first day of the agreement, three hostages were released by Hamas. On the seventh day – which is today – four hostages were released.

After that, Hamas is expected to release three hostages taken from Israel every seventh day, start with the living and then move on to return the bodies of those who have died.

Over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel are also expected to be released in the first phase of the agreement.