Four more Israeli hostages released by Hamas as ceasefire continues to hold

Hamas released four Israeli hostages in Gaza early Saturday in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners to be released later in the day. It was the second release to occur as part of the ceasefire agreement that began last weekend.

A large crowd gathered in Palestine Square in northern Gaza to witness the handover of the hostages to the Red Cross. A number of armed Hamas militants in uniforms gathered for the release, surrounding a podium displaying Hamas slogans. Drones could be seen dropping small packages, which Israeli media reported contained candy, to the crowd.

Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19, were captured in Hamas' Oct. 7 2023 terrorist attack that ignited the Israel-Hamas war. Around 1,200 people were killed in Israel, and over 47,000 have since been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run ministry of health.