For the crowds of militants and civilians gathered in a central Gaza sq. to witness the handover of 4 Israeli troopers held hostage for 15 months, the environment was one in all triumph and jubilation.
Tons of of individuals gathered on the piles of rubble in Palestine Sq., Gaza Metropolis, amongst flags of Palestinian militant teams, to look at a painstaking hostage handover, whereas in Tel Aviv crowds of Israelis gathered in suspense.
The 4 Israeli troopers – Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag – briefly walked on to a podium in khaki navy fatigues, smiling and holding arms, their lengthy hair pulled into neat shiny ponytails. Two raised their arms to present a thumbs up in direction of the cheering crowds, earlier than the group climbed into automobiles from the Worldwide Committee of the Purple Cross to be pushed out of Gaza.
In Tel Aviv, the households of Israelis who stay captive in Gaza flocked to a central sq. alongside their supporters to look at reside footage of the handover, some weeping with pleasure and cheering. A number of waved Israeli flags, whereas others held photos of feminine Israeli troopers and different captives anticipated to be launched. Video launched of the troopers’ households watching the handover at a navy base confirmed them shrieking with pleasure.
Strains of masked, uniformed fighters from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad – teams that maintain individuals taken hostage on 7 October 2023 – flanked the sq. in central Gaza Metropolis, with Palestinian flags strung overhead. A girl threw confetti over the crowds of militants in celebration.
In a present of their capabilities after months of warfare, columns of militants stood among the many crowds with shiny white automobiles decked in flags and ringed the sq. of their dozens, placing computerized weapons on the automotive rooftops.
The 4 Israeli troopers have been handed to the Israel Protection Forces (IDF) and flown by helicopter to a hospital in Israel for preliminary checks. They’re anticipated to be taken to a second facility to satisfy their households for the primary time in 15 months.
The group have been amongst an all-female surveillance unit throughout the IDF, taken captive on the Nahal Oz base, near the Gaza border that that they had been awaiting months earlier than their seize.
Households of different feminine troopers captured that day stated their daughters had reported suspicious coaching exercise as Hamas militants ready for the 7 October assault on Israeli cities and kibbutzim, through which about 1,200 individuals have been killed and 250 have been taken hostage. Their studies have been ignored, they stated, till that morning 15 months in the past when the militants overran their base and took 5 girls from their unit into Gaza.
Greater than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed within the subsequent Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, the longest warfare in Israel’s historical past.
Israeli sources estimate that between one-third and half of the remaining 90 captives are alive, amid calls from the households of these held for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his authorities to stay to the ceasefire settlement and make sure the launch of all of the remaining captives.
That settlement appeared briefly unsure on Friday evening after Hamas stated it could launch the 4 feminine IDF troopers, moderately than the remaining feminine civilians. Israeli media reported that safety officers from the Israeli authorities initially dominated this to be a breach of the ceasefire settlement, however that they might proceed with the alternate.
Israeli officers had requested the discharge of the German-Israeli citizen Arbel Yehoud, aged 28 on the time of her seize, who is likely one of the final feminine civilians held in Gaza. Yehoud is reportedly held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad moderately than Hamas, complicating her potential handover and launch. Al Jazeera reported that Palestinian sources stated Yehoud was alive.
Netanyahu’s workplace stated in a press release that Israel wouldn’t enable Palestinians to return to the northern Gaza Strip till Yehoud was launched. Two-hundred Palestinians held in two Israeli prisons are anticipated to be launched in a while Saturday as a part of the settlement, it stated.
Israeli forces have been attributable to withdraw from a navy checkpoint that has separated Gaza Metropolis from the rest of the territory for months, permitting Palestinians to return to northern Gaza for the primary time in additional than a 12 months.
“In accordance with the agreement, Israel will not allow the passage of Gazans to the north of the Gaza Strip, until the release of civilian Arbel Yehoud, who was supposed to be released today,” Netanyahu’s workplace stated.
The household of Shiri Bibas, 33 – who stands out as the different remaining feminine civilian hostage in Gaza – stated they have been dismayed that her identify was not on the record of captives to be launched.
“Once again, we found no rest last night,” they stated. “Yesterday … when the list of those set for release was published, our world collapsed. Even though we were prepared for this possibility, we had hoped to see Shiri and the children on the list that was supposed to be for civilian women.”
Bibas was taken hostage on 7 October 2023 alongside her husband, Yarden, and her two youngsters, five-year-old Ariel and two-year-old Kfir, who’re the youngest hostages held in Gaza.
R Adm Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the IDF, stated: “Hamas failed to meet its obligations to first release Israeli female civilians as part of the agreement.” He added that there was “extreme concern” for the welfare of Bibas and her household.
