Hamas releases names of 4 female hostages to be released next, possibly violates deal

The families of Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag have been informed that that their daughters, held in Gaza for 475 days, are slated to be freed on Saturday in the second round of hostage releases. 

Hamas revealed the names of the four women, all of whom are members of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Friday, though the media was asked to wait until their families had been informed before releasing their identities. 

While the exchange of another four hostages under the deal is a positive step forward in the continued ceasefire, it also could be in direct violation of the agreement as female civilians were supposed to be released ahead of all female soldiers, followed by the elderly and wounded men. 

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Of the 30 remaining people Hamas has agreed to release in the first phase of the ceasefire following the release of three women last week, two others were female civilians, including Arbel Yehud and Shiri Bibas, along with her two sons Kfir, who was just 9 months old when he was abducted with his 4-year-old brother Ariel. 

Israel had instructed Hamas to release Yehud this week amid concerns that her captivity may be prolonged as she is believed to be held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, not Hamas.

The world has also been waiting for news of the Bibas family. 

Hamas claimed in November 2023 that Shiri, Kfir and Ariel were killed in an Israeli airstrike, though Israel has said it has no intelligence to support these claims. 

Shiri and her sons have therefore never been assessed by Israeli officials to be deceased, and many have held out hope they will be reunited with Yaren Bibas, husband to Shiri and father to the two boys, who was separated from his family following their abduction on Oct. 7, 2023. 

He is also slated to be released within the first phase of the ceasefire. 

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Israeli officials reportedly told the families of the four women that though their daughters have been listed by Hamas for release tomorrow, this could still change. 

Officials also apparently spoke with the family of a fifth female IDF soldier still held by Hamas, Agam Berger, as well as Yehud’s family, though it is unclear what was discussed in either conversation. 

The four female soldiers set for release on Saturday were believed to have been, at least at one time, held all together along with Berger. 

The state of the young women has long remained unknown and concerns of sexual violence against the female Israeli soldiers has remained a persistent issue since their brutal capture from the Nahal Oz post in October 2023. 

Video footage on the day of the attack showed the women lined up, bloodied and injured as the Hamas terrorists yelled at them. 

The women were then loaded into a truck as Hamas terrorists fired guns into the air, and then driven into Gaza.

In exchange for their freedom, Israel has agreed to release a reported 50 Palestinian prisoners per female soldier, including those facing life sentences.