Four Israeli soldiers, 200 Palestinians released in Gaza ceasefire deal

In Gaza City’s Palestine Square, Hamas handed over four Israeli women who were detained as part of the ceasefire agreement to Red Cross officials.

Later on Saturday, in exchange for the second release of the captives on Saturday, Israel said 200 Palestinians were released from its jails.

Numerous masked Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters gathered in the square where a sizable crowd of Palestinians also gathered prior to the release of Gaza.

In addition to hundreds of Hamas members, other Palestinian factions, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, were also present at the site.

Before the release, Hamas fighters and members of the Red Cross were seen signing documents.

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, four Israeli women, have been identified by Hamas. The four captives, who were in Israeli military uniforms, waved to the crowd as they were released.

Ibrahim Al Khaliji, reporting for Al Jazeera from Palestine Square, described the release as a “historic moment”.

Later on Saturday, the Israeli army confirmed that the Red Cross had received the soldiers who had been released. They had been given a medical evaluation.

“The four returning hostages are currently being accompanied by IDF]Israeli army] special forces and ISA]security agency] forces on their return to Israeli territory, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment”, the army said in a statement.

However, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Palestinians will not be&nbsp, allowed to return to northern Gaza until Arbel Yehoud, one of the captives, is released. Yehoud was supposed to have been released on Saturday, according to the statement.

Yehuda is still alive and will be released on Saturday, according to a Hamas official.

Palestinians detained by Israeli authorities

Of the 200 Palestinians released from Israeli jails, 121 were serving life sentences, while 79 were serving long sentences. The youngest prisoner is only 15 years old, while the oldest prisoner is 69. Egypt is expected to hold up the detention of 177 Palestinians for 48 hours.

They will consequently be sent to Tunisia, Algeria and Turkey, which all agreed to receive them.

In Tel Aviv’s central square, dubbed Hostages Square, a big screen showed the faces of the four female soldiers that were released. In the crowd, people waved Israeli flags, while some held posters with the captives ‘ faces.

“I’m extremely excited, exhilarated”, one person among the crowd, Gili Roman, told The Associated Press. &nbsp, “In a heartbeat, in a split of a second, their lives are going to turn upside again, but right now for a positive and a good side”.

In addition to the agreement, Israeli forces are anticipated to leave the Netzarim Corridor, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees to re-enter their homes in northern Gaza.

Additionally, it is anticipated that Israel will begin bringing in more humanitarian aid and other goods for commerce to the southern Rafah border crossing.

Many Palestinians believe that the exchange of captives and prisoners on Saturday is more important than it will make the way for their return to northern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, who is reporting from the Bureij refugee camp in Gaza.