Dramatic Images: Parents Hug Daughters Freed from Hamas in Step 2 of Israel Ceasefire Deal

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.

“Al-Aqsa Flood – a Revolution Against Zionist Injustice,” one part of the sign read.

Throngs of Israelis gathered to welcome the women home upon their release, waving Israeli flags and celebrating their return.

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.

Both parties agreed to a ceasefire deal shortly before the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Trump had threatened “ALL HELL TO PAY” in a message published on social media if the ceasefire deal did not happen before he was inaugurated, expediting the negotiations.

“I’m really glad President Trump did this announcement,” Sasha Ariev, Karina Ariev’s sister, told Breitbart News in December, expressing optimism that her sister would return alive. “It is a very important announcement. It frightened Hamas. It showed that now there is, you know, a new chief in town, and we are going to get things done and over with.”

The White House published a statement on Saturday welcoming the women home.

“Today the world celebrates as President Trump secured the release of four more Israeli hostages who were, for far too long, held against their will by Hamas in horrific conditions,” the statement read. “The United States will continue with its great partner Israel to push for the release of all remaining hostages and the pursuit of peace throughout the region.”

Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, and killed an estimated 1,200 people, an attack the terrorists refer to as the “al-Aqsa Flood.” The jihadists engaged in widespread atrocities in addition to killing civilians, butchering them in their own homes and filming themselves torturing, raping, and desecrating the corpses of their victims. In some cases, Hamas terrorists uploaded videos torturing elderly victims to the victims’ Facebook accounts; in others, evidence indicates they tortured and killed babies. Eyewitnesses described seeing Hamas terrorists gang rape victims and, on some occasions, execute them during the rape.

Shortly after the invasion, a video [warning: graphic images] surfaced appearing to show one of the hostages released on Saturday, Levy, wrangled into a Hamas Jeep. Levy appeared battered and her pants were covered in blood. A jihadist shouts “Allahu akbar!” while taking her away.

Levy is a peace activist who dedicated much of her time prior to serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to reconciliation between Israel and its Palestinian neighbors, a fact Hamas seemed to disregard in its treatment of her.

Levy – along with Ariev, Gilboa, Albag, and a fifth young woman, the still captive Agam Berger – appeared in a Hamas propaganda video in May, and in a second set of images in July that reportedly showed them during the first days after their capture. The women appeared in poor health and showing bruising and other signs of torture.

Berger’s whereabouts and health status are unknown at press time; she does not yet appear to be part of imminent freedom negotiations. Several hostages freed since October 7 identified Berger as responsible for the elaborate braids that some Israeli hostage women wore upon their release.

“Agam braided the hair of the girls she knew were being released, even though she had to stay behind. It was her way of sending them off with love and strength,” mother Merav Berger told the outlet Israel Hayom.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement on Saturday noting that a separate fifth hostage, Arbel Yehud, was supposed to be part of this weekend’s exchange.

“Today Israel has received four female soldiers that were held hostage by the Hamas terrorist organization, and in return, will release security prisoners according to the arrangement that was determined,” the statement read. “As per the agreement, Israel will not allow the passage of Gazans to the north of the Strip – until the release of the civilian Arbel Yehud, who was supposed to be released today, is arranged.”

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