Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds despite violence in Gaza, second swap of hostages on Saturday

Militant group Hamas on Friday announced the names of four Israeli women hostages, who will be released on Saturday in exchange for 200 Palestinian detainees currently held in Israeli prisons.

The four Israeli women soldiers to be released in the second swap under the ceasefire deal in Gaza include Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, Reuters reported.

The exchange is expected to take place on Saturday afternoon. This follows the release of three Israeli women and 90 Palestinian prisoners last Sunday.

Israeli confirms list

In a brief statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed receiving the list of hostages from Hamas on Friday.

Currently, seven Israeli women are still believed to be held by Hamas militants in Gaza, including two civilians and five Israel Defense Forces (IDF) service members.

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Identity of two civilians

Of the two civilians, one is Arbel Yehoud, who was abducted during the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. The second person is Shiri Bibas, who was taken along with her two children, Ariel and Kfir. Hamas had previously claimed that this family was later killed in an Israeli bombing.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Hamas has demanded that for each Israeli female soldier released, Israel must send 30 prisoners who have been given life sentences, as well as 20 additional prisoners who received long sentences.

The office of the Israeli Prime Minister noted that it would release a list soon featuring the names of Palestinians it intends to set free.

On January 19, Hamas released three Israeli women hostages, including one dual British national. These were Emily Damari, 28, Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31.

How many hostages are left in Gaza?

If Hamas releases four Israelis on Saturday as per the deal, 89 hostages, including both living and dead, will remain in Gaza, according to Israeli officials. Among these are seven dual US nationals, with four of them believed to have been killed during the conflict.

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Ceasefire tested

This week, the ceasefire was tested by isolated violence in Gaza, when two Palestinians were killed in Israeli tank shelling. These were the first killings since airstrikes were halted on Sunday. In this regard, the Israeli military claimed that it opened fire in southern Gaza on armed suspects who presented a threat to them. The incident took place east of the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

FAQs

1. Why is Israel attacking Hamas in Gaza?
Israel has been targeting Hamas in response to the militant group's deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people and resulted in several hostages being taken.

2. What is the latest toll in Gaza after Israeli attacks?
According to Gaza's health ministry, at least 47,283 Palestinians have died, and over 111,000 have been injured as a result of the ongoing conflict.