Hamas militants on Saturday released four female Israeli soldiers held captive during the brutal 15-month-long war in the Gaza Strip in return for 200 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, in the second exchange since a fragile ceasefire took effect last weekend.
The truce halted the fighting in Gaza for at least six weeks during which dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed while more aid flows in.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that Israel wouldn't allow displaced Palestinians to begin returning to northern Gaza, which had been expected to begin by Sunday, because a civilian hostage who was supposed to be released by Hamas hadn't been freed on Saturday. Mediators are trying to resolve the dispute, and it’s not clear when Palestinians will be able to return home.
The Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians. The war was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people.
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BEIRUT — Hamas said in a statement Saturday that a delegation of the group’s officials, led by Mohammad Darwish, the head of its Shura Council, would head to Cairo.
They plan to meet with Egyptian officials and receive Hamas-affiliated Palestinian prisoners who were released in exchange for Israelis held in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine also announced they were sending delegations to Cairo for the same purpose.
Four female Israeli soldiers were released Saturday from captivity in Gaza, and in exchange Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners, 120 of them serving life sentences. Seventy of the released Palestinian prisoners were then deported to Egypt's appeal to Trump to pressure Netanyahu to end war, bring home loved ones
TEL AVIV, Israel — Families of hostages who remain in captivity in Gaza are appealing to President Donald Trump to pressure Israel’s prime minister into ending the war and bringing their loved-ones home.
Under the deal, about one third of the hostages are to be released during the six-week first phase. The release of the remaining hostages, along with an end to the war, are to be negotiated during a second phase.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled readiness to return to the war after the first phase is complete, and hard-liners in his coalition have threatened to bring down the government if he does not resume the war.
Hostage families gathered Saturday and appealed to Trump to make sure that Netanyahu ends the war.
“The radicals in the coalition are threatening to bring down the government and demand the renewal of the war,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is a hostage and not scheduled to be released during the first phase.
She urged Trump to “demand that Netanyahu implement the entire agreement and start negotiations of the second phase already now.”
JERUSALEM — Israel's military has confirmed that it won't complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday as outlined in its ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
The deal gave both sides 60 days to remove their forces from southern Lebanon and for the Lebanese army to move in and secure the area. Israel says the Hezbollah militant group and the Lebanese army haven’t met their obligations, while Lebanon accuses the Israeli army of hindering the Lebanese military from taking over.
In a statement Saturday, the Israeli military said the agreement is progressing but in some sectors, “it has been delayed and will take slightly longer.”
It said the withdrawal process will continue “in the near future,” but said that displaced residents from towns in southern Lebanon should not return.
WASHINGTON — The White House welcomed the release of four Israeli captives on Saturday, saying their freedom was secured by President Donald Trump and promising to work with Israel for the release of all remaining hostages.
“Today the world celebrates as President Trump secured the release of four more Israeli hostages who were, for far too long, held against their will by Hamas in horrific conditions," the White House said in a statement.
"The United States will continue with its great partner Israel to push for the release of all remaining hostages and the pursuit of peace throughout the region,” it added.
WADI GAZA, Gaza Strip -- Hundreds of Palestinian families have crowded on the upper edge of southern Gaza, waiting for the Israeli military to allow their return to their homes in the northern half of the coastal enclave.
“I’m waiting, and I’m staying until the morning until they open the road and I return,” said Khalil Abd, from Gaza City. “Open the way for us to return, that’s enough.”
According to the ceasefire deal, the Israeli military had been expected to allow hundreds of thousands of Palestinian to return to northern Gaza through a road that bisects the territory starting Sunday.
But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pullback was on hold because of delays in the release of an Israeli civilian woman from captivity in Gaza.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — “The people want Hamas,” the crowd chanted as buses carrying dozens of released Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Israel released a total of 200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees on Saturday in exchange for four young female Israeli soldiers captured in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Around 70 of the prisoners were released into Egypt.
In Ramallah, a crowd of thousands cheered and flashed victory signs as the buses arrived. Gaunt-looking prisoners in gray jumpsuits were hoisted onto people’s shoulders.
Most of the prisoners released Saturday were serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank city of Ramallah celebrated the arrival of buses carrying dozens of prisoners released as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.
Israel said it released a total of 200 prisoners after Hamas freed four young, female Israeli soldiers.
The prisoners include 120 who were serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis. Around 70 were released into Egypt.
JERUSALEM — The Israeli military is warning Palestinians in Gaza not to return to northern Gaza.
The army’s Arabic spokesman, Avichay Adraee, published a post on social media telling Palestinians not to approach the east-west Netzarim route, which bisects Gaza.
Israel had been expected to open the route by Sunday as part of the latest stage of the ceasefire. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pullback was on hold because of delays in the release of an Israeli civilian woman from captivity in Gaza.
Mediators say they are trying to resolve the dispute.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The head of a Palestinian prisoner advocacy group says that some of the 70 convicted militants being transferred to Egypt after their release from Israeli prison will ultimately be sent to other Arab countries.
Abdullah al-Zaghari, the head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, told The Associated Press that Algeria, Tunisia and Turkey have all expressed willingness to receive some of those required to live in exile according to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has released a video showing the freed hostages being welcomed at an army base in southern Israel.
Some of the hostages hugged the female soldiers who greeted them. One of them, Liri Albag, 19, smiled, gave two thumbs-up and made a heart shape with her hands before boarding a van.
JERUSALEM — Israel’s president has welcomed home the four female soldiers released from captivity.
“You are heroes,” President Isaac Herzog said in a post on X.
Herzog wished them healthy recoveries, but says the nation “will not rest” until all hostages return.
CAIRO — Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV says Israel has released 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt under the Gaza ceasefire deal.
The network says they arrived at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.
Hamas had earlier released four female Israeli soldiers. Israel is expected to release a total of 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, many of whom will be sent into exile.
JERUSALEM — Israel says it will not allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza until Arbel Yehoud, one of the dozens of hostages held by Hamas, is released.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Yehoud was supposed to have been released Saturday as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Hamas had earlier released four female Israeli soldiers.
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says the released hostages are “in our hands” and on their way home.
In a televised statement Saturday, Hagari criticized what he called the “cynical” public display of the young women by Hamas before their release.
He also said that Israel is concerned about the fate of the two youngest hostages — Kfir and Ariel Bibas — and their mother Shiri. Kfir Bibas marked his second birthday in captivity earlier this month.
Hagari says the army is committed to bringing all hostages home.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian authorities have released a list of 200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees expected to be released from Israel in exchange for four female Israeli soldiers held by Hamas in Gaza.
The list includes 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. The rest are serving lengthy sentences.
The list shows that 70 of the prisoners will not be allowed to return to their homes in the occupied West Bank or Jerusalem and will be required to live in exile. It’s unclear exactly where they will go.
The more notorious militants being released include Mohammad Odeh, 52, and Wael Qassim, 54, both from east Jerusalem. They were accused of carrying out a series of deadly Hamas attacks against Israelis, including a bombing at a cafeteria at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2002 that killed nine people, including five U.S. citizens.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Four female soldiers freed from captivity in the Gaza Strip are with Israeli forces, the second such release as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
Israel confirmed it had received the freed hostages on Saturday. The truce, which began Sunday, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.
The four Israeli soldiers, Karina Ariev, 20, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Albag, 19, were captured in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war.
BEIRUT — The Lebanese army on Saturday said it has been unable to deploy its forces throughout southern Lebanon as laid out in a ceasefire agreement that halted the Israel-Hezbollah war because of Israel’s “procrastination in withdrawal” from the area.
Under the deal reached in November, Israel is supposed to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by Sunday, after which the Lebanese armed forces would patrol the buffer zone in southern Lebanon alongside U.N. peacekeepers to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing a military presence there.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested Friday that Israel might not withdraw by the deadline, and Washington appears prepared to push for an extension. Netanyahu said the Lebanese government hasn’t yet “fully enforced” the agreement, an apparent reference to the deployment of Lebanese troops.
The Lebanese army statement said “procrastination in the withdrawal by the Israeli enemy complicates the army’s deployment mission.”
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Crowds began to gather in Tel Aviv and Gaza City on Saturday ahead of the expected swap between Israel and Hamas of more hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, a big screen showed the faces of the four female soldiers expected to be released. Some in the growing crowd wore Israeli flags, others held posters with the hostages’ faces.
“I’m extremely excited, exhilarated,” said onlooker Gili Roman. “In a heartbeat, in a split of a second, their lives are going to turn upside again, but right now for a positive and a good side.”
