Hamas names four female Israeli soldiers to be freed on Saturday after being held hostage in Gaza for 15 months
Hamas announced it will release four out of the five female Israeli soldiers whose fight for freedom has been championed by the Daily Mail.
Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, who are all 20, and Liri Albag, 19, are expected to be freed after 15 nightmare months in Gaza.
Cruelly, Agam Berger, 20, was not on the list, splitting up the families who have campaigned relentlessly together to bring them all home.
The Daily Mail highlighted their plight by publishing a powerful story with before and after images of the girls in captivity in January last year which was taken to the UN and the Hague.
And the list was also notable for the absence of the female civilians, Arbel Yehud, 29, and Shiri Bibas, 30, as well as her sons Kfir, two, and Ariel, five, who should have been released before female soldiers.
The Israel Defence Forces and representatives of the families called on commentators not to speculate on their status as Israeli officials accused Hamas of violating the terms of the deal.
Last night Israeli prime minister was Benjamin Netanyahu demanding to know why no civilians are set for release. Officials warned the continuation of the deal may be delayed.
Agam Berger’s cousin Ashley Waxman Bakshi, 38, told the Mail the terror group is using the hostage release to continue its ‘psychological warfare’ against Israelis.
Israeli hostage, Liri Albag, a soldier who was seized from her army base in southern Israel during the deadly October 7, 2023
Daniela Gilboa is among the four female Israeli soldiers to be freed on Saturday
Karina Ariev is among the four female Israeli soldiers who were held hostage for 15 months
‘It is so cruel and evil that the five girls are being split,’ she said hours before the announcement that her relative would not be freed today.
‘It’s just awful because we’ve done everything together for the past 15 and a half months.
‘It really is the highest level of evil and psychological warfare they’re doing to the families by ripping us apart like that.’
She was speaking at a ceremony where Agam’s mother Meirav, 48, prayed for her daughter’s safe return in Tel Aviv on Thursday. Mrs Berger, supported by her husband, Shlomi, 52, said in a prayer: ‘The return of our beloved daughters is approaching, God willing. We are counting the minutes and waiting with bated breath for everyone’s return.’
Mrs Berger finished the prayer by adding: ‘This land will not rest until all our hostages are home. This is my promise.’
The first phase agreement that will see 33 hostages freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners states that Hamas must let Israel know who it is freeing 24 hours in advance.
But on the first week they were 18 hours late and have still not stated how many of those due to be released imminently are alive.
It means Israelis face a torturous wait each week to discover who is living and who will be freed. Ms Waxman Bakshi compared it to some of the darkest days of Jewish history.
Naama Levy is one of the hostages currently being held in Gaza and set to be freed on Saturday
‘It’s just an awful feeling that we’ve gone back to the days of the Holocaust, where we have lists determining who’s going to have what fate.’
Hamas should let Israel know today how many of the 30 hostages remaining in the first phase are alive. But it is feared they won’t name them, only state the number of the living out of each category – women, elderly, and sick – to prolong the families’ suffering.
It is hoped Agam will be freed next Saturday. She was doing national service as an unarmed observer at Nahal Oz base when she was taken captive along with Daniella, Naama, Karina, and Liri.
The four women will be freed in exchange for 200 Palestinians today. They are expected to include the former Jenin chief of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, who was once on Israel’s ‘most wanted’ list.
