Four Israeli Female Soldiers to Be Released from Gaza Captivity

jerusalem - Four Israeli female soldiers are set to be released from captivity in Gaza, raising hopes and concerns in Israel.

Four Israeli Female Soldiers to Be Freed from Gaza

Israel awaits anxiously as four female soldiers, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, will be released from captivity in Gaza this Saturday, pending Hamas cooperation. The soldiers, all in their early twenties, narrowly escape potential death and further torture. In exchange, 180 Palestinian prisoners will be set free.

Captivity and Ordeal

The four young women were serving at the Nahal Oz base along the Gaza border on October 7, 2023, when they were ambushed by armed Hamas militants. The sudden attack resulted in the death of 200 victims in southern Israel, with a quarter of them at the Nova festival, and 251 others being forcefully taken to the Palestinian territory. Last week, the first three female captives, Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher, and Romy Gonen, were released under a new agreement between Hamas and Israel, receiving a macabre 'goodie bag' from Hamas containing a certificate.

Personal Stories and Horrors

Karina Ariev, 20, from Jerusalem, managed to make a farewell call to her family just before her abduction, expressing fear and tears amidst gunfire sounds. Naama Levy, also 20, was captured in shocking videos being forcefully taken in a jeep with bloodied clothes in her first day as a soldier. Levy, known for her involvement in peace initiatives, inadvertently became a symbol of Hamas' horror on that fateful October 7.

Family Anguish and Hope

Families of the captives express anguish and hope as the release day approaches, recognizing the psychological toll of the captivity and the uncertainties surrounding the soldiers' physical and mental well-being post-release, given over a year in Hamas captivity.