Gaza City: The Palestinian Hamas movement handed four female Israeli occupation prisoners over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in central Gaza on Saturday. The exchange took place as part of an agreement, marking the second swap since the conclusion of a recent Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the four freed soldiers were led onto a podium in Gaza City before being transported via ICRC vehicles to Israeli occupying forces. An Israeli occupation spokesman confirmed the transfer and noted the significance of the exchange as a part of ongoing negotiations.
The swap involved the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the four Israeli soldiers. Hamas announced that among the 200 Palestinians set to be freed on Saturday, around 70 are expected to be deported. This exchange follows a recent pattern of prisoner swaps between the two sides as part of efforts to maintain the ceasefire agreement.