Hamas set to release four Israeli soldiers in second hostage swap

Hamas is set to release four Israeli soldiers on Saturday as part of a second prisoner exchange under a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the 15-month-long war in Gaza. The soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag—were taken hostage by Hamas militants who attacked their observation post near Gaza on October 7, 2023.

In exchange for the hostages, Hamas is expected to release 200 Palestinian prisoners, including 120 serving life sentences and 80 with long-term sentences. This marks the second exchange since the ceasefire began on Sunday, following an earlier release of three Israeli civilians in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The ceasefire agreement, brokered by Qatar and Egypt with U.S. support, has paused fighting for the first time since a brief truce in November 2023. The agreement outlines that over six weeks, 33 hostages, including children, women, and the elderly, will be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israel is also pulling back troops from some positions in Gaza.

In future phases, the two sides will negotiate further exchanges, including for military-age men and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which has been devastated by months of conflict and bombardment. The war began after the October 7 Hamas attack, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and more than 250 taken hostage. Since then, over 47,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, according to local health authorities.

Following the recent release of three hostages and the recovery of the body of an Israeli soldier missing for a decade, Israel reports that 94 Israelis and foreigners remain captive in Gaza, although the status of many is uncertain.

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