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Israel is expected to release dozens of Palestinians held in Israeli jails as part of the ceasefire deal.
Hamas has released four female Israeli soldiers held in Gaza as part of the ceasefire agreement, handing them over to Red Cross officials in Palestine Square in Gaza City.
In exchange for the second release of the captives on Saturday, Israel is expected to release 200 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Ahead of the release, scores of masked Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters gathered at the square where a large crowd of Palestinians also congregated. In addition to hundreds of Hamas members, other Palestinian factions, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, are also present at the site.
Representatives of the Red Cross and a Hamas fighter were seen signing documents ahead of the release.
Hamas identified the four female Israeli soldiers as Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag. The four captives, who were in Israeli military uniforms, waved to the crowd as they were released.
Ibrahim Al Khaliji, reporting for Al Jazeera from Palestine Square, described the release as a “historic moment”.
Later on Saturday, the Israeli army confirmed it received the released soldiers from the Red Cross, adding that they will undergo a medical assessment.
“The four returning hostages are currently being accompanied by IDF [Israeli army] special forces and ISA [security agency] forces on their return to Israeli territory, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment,” the army said in a statement.
As part of the deal, Israeli forces are also expected to withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza.
Israel is also expected to open the Rafah border crossing in the south for more humanitarian aid and other commercial supplies to enter.
Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, reporting from Gaza’s Bureij refugee camp, said many Palestinians consider Saturday’s exchange of captives and prisoners as more important as it will pave the way for their return to northern Gaza.
More to follow …
