Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP
Hamas militants handed over four Israeli women hostages to the Red Cross in a prisoner swap after parading them on a stage at a square in Gaza on Saturday.
The four, all Israeli soldiers dressed in military fatigues, had been held captive in the Palestinian territory since Hamas seized them during their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israel is set to free 200 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the four Israeli women, as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas in Gaza.
AFP reports that the prisoners include 120 who are serving life sentences, a source said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, ahead of the swap.
