Release of Israeli Hostages Under the Hamas-Israel Truce Agreement

Hamas announced on Friday, January 24, 2025, the upcoming release of four Israeli hostages as part of the truce agreed upon with Israel. The names of the hostages—identified as Karina Arif, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Elbag—were disclosed by the Islamist movement. These women, described by Hamas as “soldiers,” are expected to be handed over to Israeli authorities on Saturday, January 25. The agreement involves an exchange for an as-yet unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.

This announcement follows an earlier exchange last weekend, during which three Israeli women were freed in return for 90 Palestinian detainees. This process is part of the first phase of a six-week truce aimed at the release of 33 Israeli hostages, primarily women, in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

A Truce Under International Oversight

The agreement stipulates that an Egyptian-Qatari committee will oversee the implementation of the commitments, including the gradual return of displaced Gaza residents to the northern part of the territory. Despite sporadic tensions, the ceasefire has largely held since it took effect last Sunday. Israeli authorities, through Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, confirmed they had received information about the hostages to be released via mediators.