‘I’m back’: Watch another homecoming as 4 more female hostages released from Gaza captivity
JERUSALEM – Israelis were buffeted by a mixture of emotions on Saturday, as Hamas released another four female prisoners – a circus similar to the release of three female hostages a week earlier – and yet amid increasing concerns over the fate of other hostages, whose fate is still unknown.
“I’m back”
Liri Albag with her parents on the helicopter being flown to a hospital in Israel.
She wrote on the whiteboard: I love you citizens of Israel, the IDF and my family. I’m back pic.twitter.com/V4TaF0hgxF
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) January 25, 2025
Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag were released from their Gazan captivity, some 477 days since they were abducted from the Nahal Oz military base on Oct. 7, 2023. These were four of the five young women filmed by Hamas terrorists in their pajamas bloodied, bruised and dazed.
Agam Berger, a talented musician, who was also captured on that day from the base was reportedly held with the four who were released until a few days ago. It is said the distinctive hair braids many of the young women have sported on their return from captivity has been her doing. She is expected to be released next Saturday, although Hamas is endangering the current ceasefire for not yet having produced a list of hostages to be freed.
Yet again, Hamas paraded the young women among a baying mob of what appeared to be thousands of men. For their part, the now former hostages were determined to project an image of strength and not allow the terrorists the satisfaction of seeing them afraid.
Video: Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Naama Levy and Karina Ariev with their parents en route to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/kcapnQRHhQ
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 25, 2025
As part of the psychological warfare Hamas continues to inflict, it released a propaganda video forcing the young women to thank their captors in Arabic for allegedly providing them with food, water and clothes. It was shown after their release but was filmed on their way to the packed square in Gaza City where they were handed over to the Red Cross, which again can facilitate a hostage handover but can’t actually manage to visit any of those still held in captivity.
As with the female hostages released last week, Hamas gave each of the women a “prisoner release form,” along with a framed certificate and a keychain with the Palestinian flag, the video shows, in a macabre twist as if the women had spent a summer at sleep-away camp. The hostages were also forced to wear badges with their personal details, attached to a lanyard with a Palestinian flag pattern.
NEW: Hamas releases propaganda film, forcing Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, and Naama Levy to thank their captors in Arabic.
Why is Hamas acting like the girls are leaving an underground hotel? They proudly filmed & uploaded their horrific abuse and torture of them. pic.twitter.com/CZwAu1tUOM
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) January 25, 2025
As per the agreement, some 200 Palestinian prisoners were released according to the Israel Prison Service, with some of those serving life sentences for committing multiple murders. In a bizarre twist, two Palestinian prisoners refused the offer of being returned to Gaza, preferring to remain in an Israeli jail. On the bus to freedom, one of the prisoners was coaxed to go along with the release, while the other demurred and had to be replaced at the last minute by another prisoner. It isn’t clear if that person was due to be let out at a subsequent date.
This is epic
One of the terrorist refused to get out from prison and go back to Gaza. Apparently, it’s better for him to be in Israel than in Gaza pic.twitter.com/xxd6bTAUlN— יוסף חדאד – Yoseph Haddad (@YosephHaddad) January 25, 2025
Meanwhile, the ceasefire agreement, which has enabled these releases is somewhat in a state of flux, with Israel accusing Hamas of serious breaches that could put it in jeopardy. In fact, Hamas has also accused Israel of breaching the terms because it will not permit thousands of Gazans to return to the north of the Strip.
As far as Israel is concerned, civilian hostages should have been released before female IDF soldiers, which Hamas clearly breached in Saturday’s handover. Indeed, Israel explicitly said it would not allow Gazans to return north in retaliation for Hamas’ failure to release female hostage Arbel Yehud, which it had made clear it expected last week. This decision, meant the military would not withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor – which was scheduled to take place on Sunday. In addition, Hamas failed to provide a list by the end of Saturday which of the remaining so-called humanitarian hostages of whom there are 26 – women, children, elderly individuals, and the infirm – are alive.
Yehud is thought to be held by Hamas affiliate Palestinian Islamic Jihad, who claim rather than being a civilian, she is in fact, a soldier, which Israel strenuously denies. Yehud had also been on the list of those supposed to be freed in November 2023, but that deal collapsed before the final round of releases took place.