Israel welcomed home four young women on Saturday who endured 477 days as captives of the jihadist terror organization Hamas, part of a ceasefire deal that included an exchange of 33 Israeli hostages for nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned for crimes in Israel. The women were identified as soldiers Karina Ariev, 20, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Albag, 19. The four were taken captive during the Hamas siege of Israel on October 7, 2023, while serving at a security post at Nachal Oz. The Israeli government published moving videos of their parents embracing them for the first time since their capture on Saturday following their release from captivity in Gaza. Prior to their release, Hamas published propaganda videos showing the women immediately prior to their release from captivity. According to the Times of Israel, Hamas forced the women to thank the terrorists for their release and sent them off with a commemorative Palestinian flag keychain for their trouble. Masked terrorists paraded the women in front of a crowd of jihadis before releasing them, displaying them in front of a sign celebrating the atrocities Hamas committed on October 7. The women were freed in exchange of 200 Palestinians imprisoned under Israel’s judicial system – not taken hostage – who Gazans welcomed enthusiastically on Saturday. The exchange is part of a larger deal for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the IDF has been operating since declaring war on Hamas, the governing body of Gaza, on October 8, 2023, to prevent another attack. A loud cheer swept through the crowd gathered at a Tel Aviv plaza known as Hostage Square, as giant screens livestreamed the long-awaited release of four Israeli hostages on Saturday, the latest to be freed under a Gaza ceasefire deal. Hundreds had arrived in the square in early morning in anticipation of the four women soldiers’ release. Many wore yellow T-shirts with the words “You are not alone” printed in Hebrew. Many Israelis began to breathe a sigh of relief as the ceasefire and hostage release deal, which also sees Palestinian prisoners freed, got underway last Sunday after a 15-month ordeal. “I’m super excited, waves of excitement and happiness,” said Shlomi Ben Yakar, 54. “We didn’t believe in the past it felt like a dream, and now it’s a good dream that is coming true.” All eyes had been fixed anxiously on the screen for hours, awaiting the arrival of an International Committee of the Red Cross convoy at a square in the centre of Gaza City. As soon as the four women’s silhouettes appeared on the screen, cries of joy erupted, with many embracing one another tearfully in celebration. Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, all aged 20, and Liri Albag, 19, waved, smiled, and gave thumbs up as they were paraded on a stage in Gaza City, flanked by masked and armed militants. “The feeling is great, excitement, tears and joy, it’s all at once,” said Sima Ben Naim, a 70-year-old from Tel Aviv. “It’s not only happiness, we also have tears, and I hope all (the hostages) will return.” https://www.breitbart.com/news/israelis-rejoice-at-emotional-release-of-second-group-of-hostages/ 
Dramatic Images: Parents Hug Daughters Freed from Hamas in Step 2 of Israel Ceasefire Deal:
Israelis rejoice at emotional release of second group of hostages:
