Hamas released a second group of Israeli hostages, four women, to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza. The women, aged 19-20, were abducted on October 7, 2023, from an Israeli army base near the Gaza border. The release was part of a ceasefire agreement involving a prisoner-hostage exchange.
In exchange, Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners. This follows the January 19 start of a six-week ceasefire, during which Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages in phases in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and an Israeli troop withdrawal from some Gaza positions.
Mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S., the ceasefire follows 15 months of conflict. After the release, 90 hostages remain in Gaza, with Israeli authorities confirming about a third are deceased.
Source – CGTN