Hamas names 4 Israeli women soldiers to be released under Gaza cease-fire deal

Hamas has named four Israeli women soldiers it intends to release on Saturday as part of the ongoing Gaza cease-fire agreement.

The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, announced the planned release via a statement from spokesman Abu Obeida on Telegram.

“As part of the prisoners’ exchange deal, the (Ezzedine) al-Qassam Brigades decided to release tomorrow four women soldiers,” said Abu Obeida, Hamas spokesman.

Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, a member of Hamas’s political bureau in Doha announced, “Hamas will announce the names of four hostages as part of the second prisoner exchange.”

Israeli PM confirms names

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed it had received the names of the hostages through mediators.

The women set for release are reportedly Karina Ariev, Danielle Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag.

The announcement follows the cease-fire agreement that took effect on Jan. 19, 2025, which brought a temporary halt to hostilities in Gaza after months of conflict. As part of the deal, Israel had already freed 90 Palestinian detainees, while Hamas released three Israeli hostages last Sunday.

The first six-week phase of the agreement aims to secure a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, with hopes of leading to a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The cease-fire, facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, comes after months of intense negotiations.

Despite international calls for a cease-fire, including a U.N. Security Council resolution, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of nearly 47,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel also faces genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its military operations in Gaza.