Israel-Hamas ceasefire: Four female hostages return to Israel; 200 Palestinians released

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas took hold on Sunday, and is expected to usher in a period of at least six weeks of paused fighting.

The deal is now in phase one, which should see, in addition to the pause in fighting, the release of 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians being held in Israeli jails.

At the end of phase one, all living women, children and older people held by Hamas should be freed. If the deal stays put after Saturday's release, hostage releases are expected weekly for the remainder of the first phase.

In exchange for each hostage released, Israel will free 30 Palestinian women, children or older people. In exchange for each soldier released by Hamas, Israel will free 50 prisoners.

As a part of the first phase, the Israeli army has pulled back to a buffer zone to allow Palestinians to trek through war-torn Gaza to what is left of their homes. It will also allow much-needed aid trucks to flow into Gaza — something that had been severely restricted during fighting.

In theory, the deal will unfold in three phases, but phases two and three have yet to be negotiated. Officials will return to the table to hammer out the details should the deal hold through phase one.

The White House has celebrated the release of the four hostages released today by Hamas, and credited President Donald Trump for securing their freedom.

“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,” it said in a statement.

“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.”  

While U.S. officials have credited the collaboration between Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and Biden’s Middle East representative Brett McGurk for securing the ceasefire deal, the president-elect sought to claim much of the credit for himself on Thursday.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum earlier today thanked President Trump in a statement shortly after the four hostages were released. 

The aunt of Liri Albag, the Israeli hostage set free by Hamas in the second round of releases, spoke with NBC News’ Raf Sanchez about what her niece’s return means to her family and her message for the remaining hostages."We knew eventually she would come back alive and safe," she said.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels unilaterally freed 153 war detainees today, the International Committee of the Red Cross said, one of several overtures in recent days to ease tensions after the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Previous prisoner releases have been viewed as a means to jumpstart talks over permanently ending Yemen’s decadelong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014. However, the Houthis’ release comes just after they detained another seven Yemeni workers from the United Nations, sparking anger from the world body.

Those released previously had been visited by Red Cross staff in Sanaa and received medical checks and other assistance, the organization said while announcing the release. The Houthis had signaled Friday night they planned a release of prisoners.

The Red Cross said it “welcomes this unilateral release as another positive step towards reviving negotiations.”

Among the released Palestinians is Muhammed Al-Tous, referred to as “the dean of prisoners” by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, an organization in the occupied West Bank that represents prisoners.

It said in a statement that Tous, 67, was arrested in October 1985 and sentenced to lifetime imprisonment “on the grounds of his resistance to the occupation” and his affiliation with the Palestinian faction Fatah.

The organization also said 57-year-old prisoner Raed Al-Saadi was also among those to be released. Al Saeedi was detained in 1989 at the beginning of the 1978 Intifada, it said, and “sentenced to two life sentences and 20 years,” the statement said.

Both Al-Tous and Al-Saadi were arrested before the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords, a set of agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization that aimed at improving peace while expanding Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank.

Hamas has accused Israel of obstructing the ceasefire agreement by continuing to block key areas and preventing Palestinians from returning to their homes.

Earlier today, Israel said Hamas had “failed to meet its obligations” to first release civilian hostages as part of the deal. Although Hamas released four female soldiers, Israel has said it will not allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza until civilian hostages are freed from captivity.

Israel “continues to procrastinate in implementing the terms of the ceasefire agreement and the exchange of prisoners, by continuing to close Al-Rasheed Street and preventing the return of displaced persons on foot from the south to the north,” the Hamas statement said.

It added that it held Israel “responsible for any delays in executing the agreement and the repercussions of that on the rest of the stations.”

There were screams of joy, tears and hugs as the Israeli hostages were reunited with their families for the first in 477 days.

The four served as surveillance soldiers at the Nahal Oz military base on the border with Gaza when they were taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoke with the parents of Liri Elbag, the 19-year-old hostage who was released by Hamas today.

“My wife and I, along with the entire people of Israel, embrace Liri and her friends who have been released in great light,” he told Shira and Eli Elbag in a phone call.

“I am happy that with our great efforts, that of the IDF and all those concerned, we have truly succeeded in bringing this about. This is truly a great day. We are working to free all the others,” he added.

Elbag, who comes from Moshav Yarhi, was captured from the Nahal Oz military base where she was part of a surveillance unit with the other hostages released today.

The four female hostages released earlier today by Hamas are in ‘stable’ condition, says Dr. Lena Koren Feldman, general manager at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva in Israel.

“A few hours ago we received Daniela, Karina, Naama and Liri,” she said in a statement.

“After an initial medical examination I am glad to update that their status is good and stable. Our team will accompany the returnees in the coming days and further on, with the needed medical and mental treatment.”

People celebrated in the streets as buses belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross carried Palestinian prisoners released by Israel.

On board the buses, men could be seen making the V sign with their fingers as they were transfered through the occupied West Bank.

The United Nations Palestinian Relief Agency UNRWA has to cease operations in Jerusalem and evacuate all premises by Jan. 30, Israel has told the United Nations.

“Hamas and other terrorist organizations infiltrated UNRWA a long time ago,” Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon wrote in a letter to U.N. chief Antonio Guterres. He subsequently posted the letter on X

Israel’s parliament voted in October to ban UNRWA operations.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on X that preventing his agency's operations might sabotage the ongoing ceasefire agreement. UNRWA had already brought food into Gaza for 1 million people, he added.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said today that it has successfully completed the second phase of the hostage and prisoner exchange as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

“This phase began with the safe transfer of four hostages from Gaza to Israeli authorities,” it said in a statement. “The ICRC then facilitated the release and transfer of 128 detainees from Israeli detention centers to Gaza and the West Bank following pre-departure interviews to confirm their identities and assess their health and fitness for travel.”

It added that teams had conducted pre-departure interviews with other Palestinian prisoners before their separate release and transfer, and that “in total, 200 detainees were freed.”

“This work was carried out at the request of all parties involved and in close coordination with them,” it said. 

The four hostages released by Hamas today have arrived at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva in Israel.

“A short while ago Liri Albag, Daniela Gilboa, Karina Ariev and Naama Levi arrived at Belinson hospital,” said Dr. Hagar Mizrachi, an Israeli Health Ministry official. “They are now undergoing a health examination with the sensitivity and caution needed in their situation.”

Last week, the first hostages to be released as part of the ceasefire deal were reunited with family and friends after arriving at the nearby Sheba hospital.

Hundreds of displaced Palestinians in Nuseirat, central Gaza, gathered their belongings today, hoping they would finally be able to return to their homes in northern part of the enclave.

A NBC News crew witnessed them gathered on the streets — some with with their blankets on their heads, others with their children on the floor.

But their hopes were dashed today after Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement by not releasing hostage Arbel Yehud.

As a result, it said Israel said it would not pull back its forces blocking people making their way north.

NBC News’ Raf Sanchez reports as hostages set free by Hamas in the second round of releases since the ceasefire deal came into effect.

The four hostages got into blacks vans and were taken to an Israeli military facility for treatment.

The current ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas started on Sunday with the release of the first three Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity in exchange for nearly 100 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel.

All women, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a veterinary nurse taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza; Emily Damari, 28, a British Israeli citizen also taken from Kfar Aza and a key figure in the kibbutz’s youth community; and Romi Gonen, 24, taken from the Nova Music Festival. 

Once the women were driven in Red Cross vehicles back to Israel, they met their mothers and were taken to a hospital near Tel Aviv to be medically evaluated. Staff at the Sheba Medical Center said none of the women required immediate medical procedures.

Their release marked the beginning of phase one of the deal, in which more than 30 of the remaining hostages are set to be released over the course of a six-week period.

About a dozen Palestinian prisoners released by Israel today have arrived at the European Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, having entered the enclave via the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

Footage captured by an NBC News crew showed three men dressed in what appears to be prison uniform hanging from the door of a bus, chanting as they are swarmed by a crowd who sing back in unison.

Video taken from inside the European Hospital shows the prisoners being escorted through a corridor by a man uniform, some of them embraced by onlookers as they pass through.

Israel has released 200 Palestinians from its prisons as part of its agreement with Hamas.

On lampposts, in shop windows and on smartphone screens across Israel, the posters show a smiling, red-headed baby boy clutching a pink elephant.

And now the country is bracing to learn Kfir Bibas’ fate.

The youngest hostage still in captivity in Gaza, Kfir was just shy of 9 months old when he was kidnapped during the Hamas-led terrorist attack Oct.7, 2023. On Saturday, he turned 2, having never known a birthday outside captivity.

Along with his 5-year-old brother, Ariel, and his parents, Yarden and Shiri Bibas, Kfir is among the 33 hostages expected to be freed during the first phase of the ceasefire deal, according to the Israeli government. But it is unclear if the toddler is still alive. 

Read full story here.

Hamas said Saturday that it is waiting for Israel to withdraw its forces, after a second batch of hostages were released in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire agreement. 

“We await the withdrawal of the occupation according to the terms of the agreement, and the beginning of the return of the displaced to their lands and homes,” Hamas spokesman, Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Qano, said in a statement.

Earlier today, Israel said Hamas had “failed to meet its obligations” to first release Israeli civilian hostages as part of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas released four female Israel soldiers this morning.

Israel has prohibited residents in Lebanon from moving south to more than 50 villages, just a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel might not withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon by a deadline set in its ceasefire with Hezbollah.

"The Israeli army does not intend to target you," the IDF’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X, saying that anyone who returned to their homes would be putting themselves in danger.

Under the deal reached in November, Israel is supposed to complete its withdrawal from the country by tomorrow, but both Netanyahu's comments and Adraee's warning have cast doubt on that happening in time.

Lebanese President Michel Auon received a call from the French President, his office said today, saying that Emmanuel Macron had informed him he is "making contacts to maintain the ceasefire."

Auon asked Macron to "oblige Israel to implement the provisions of the agreement in order to preserve stability."

There were tears, hugs and smiles as the four freed Israeli hostages greeted their families for the first time after 477 days in captivity.

A six-year-old was killed in Gaza just moments before the ceasefire was announced. She was one of, if not the last, child killed before the ceasefire. NBC News’ Raf Sanchez talks to her family and has the latest on the hostages in Gaza. 

Israel has released 200 Palestinians from its prisons as part of its agreement with Hamas.

The prisoners were brought to the Ofer and Ktziot prisons from various others around the country, and later released by authorities there, a spokesperson of the Israel Prison Service said in a statement.

Some of the prisoners released in the previous hostage exchange lamented the conditions inside Israeli prisoners, saying they were denied basic necessities, including food, clean supplies and clothing.

While Israel has branded the prisoners “terrorists,” they have not released details of their charges.

The U.S. is aware of Israel's decision to stop Palestinians from moving into northern Gaza, a senior Israeli official said.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli military earlier accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire and hostage release deal by failing to release all civilian women ahead of female soldiers.

The senior officials said that the U.S. was “aware of the problem and are aware that there is a violation here that requires a settlement to Israel’s satisfaction.”

The four hostages have boarded an Israeli Air Force helicopter and are being taken to a hospital, the IDF said in a statement.

The hostages were transferred to the helicopter at the Reim military base in southern Israel where they arrived after meeting their family members at a reception point.

Red Cross buses believed to be carrying Palestinian prisoners have departed Israel's Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, the latest exchange as part of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas earlier released four female soldier hostages.

Footage captured by Reuters shows three buses moving away from the prison and through urban areas accompanied by a number of emergency vehicles, with cars honking their horns as people crowded the street around the convoy.

Israel has not yet commented on the release.

The Palestinian Prisoners Authority earlier released a list of the 200 prisoners expected to be handed over by Israel as part of the exchange. Of the 200 prisoners set to be released, 121 were serving life sentences, and 79 were serving long sentences.

The list also includes 70 prisoners who will be deported outside of Gaza and the West Bank, the authority said.

Hamas has “failed to meet its obligations” to first release Israeli civilian hostages as part of the ceasefire agreement, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israel Defense Forces’ chief spokesperson, said Saturday.

Last week, Hamas released three women civilian hostages as part of an exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners, but this week the militant group released four female soldiers, rather than a female civilian.

“We are determined to return Arbel Yehud,” he said. “And also Shiri Bibas and her two children, Kfir and Ariel, whose welfare we are extremely concerned about.”

Israel has said it will not allow Palestinian civilians to return to northern Gaza until Yehud’s release is arranged. It remains unclear why Yehud has not been freed.

The Israel Defense Forces said it is warning Gazans to avoid the area around the Netazarim corridor, a military zone in Gaza City that effectively separates northern and central Gaza, "until it is opened."

"The Chief of the General Staff addressed the IDF’s readiness along the Netzarim Corridor, emphasizing the preparedness and alertness of the troops in the area until decided otherwise," a statement from IDF read.

As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel had been expected to pull pack some of its forces to allow displaced Gazans to head north. But that's now in doubt after Israel said it would not allow it until Arbel Yehud, a civilian hostage, is released.

In the past few hours we’ve seen a large presence of Hamas fighters gathered in Gaza city, clearly a show of force by the group despite Israeli claims they’ve killed around 20,000 Hamas operatives. 

The four hostages were brought on a stage, wearing what looked like military uniforms. They appeared well, the women waved to the crowd, at times even smiling and then were handed over to the Red Cross, and onward to Israeli forces.

There is no sense of chaos from the images coming out, in fact it all looked quite choreographed. A surreal, emotional scene for those watching here at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. 

As for the American hostages. Keith Seigel, in his 60s, is expected to be released next Saturday, according to two senior officials. Sagui Dekel Chen, in his mid 30s, is to be released soon after. The remaining American hostages, dead or alive, are to be released in the second stage — if we get there. 

The release of both hostages is subject to confirmation from Hamas 24 hours before their release, in accordance with the deal.

There were reports that Hamas was going to provide an update on the condition of the remaining 26 hostages to be released in the first phase. We’re still waiting, as are their families who still don’t know with any certainty if they are dead or alive. 

Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon beyond a 60-day deadline stipulated in a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah because its terms have not been fully implemented, the Israeli prime minister’s office said on Friday.

Under the agreement, which took effect on Nov. 27, Hezbollah weapons and fighters must be removed from areas south of the Litani River and Israeli troops should withdraw as the Lebanese military deploys into the region, all within a 60-day time frame, meaning by Sunday at 4 a.m. (9 p.m. ET on Saturday).

The deal, brokered by the United States and France, ended more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. The fighting peaked with a major Israeli offensive that left Hezbollah severely weakened and displaced more than 1.2 million people in Lebanon.

In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli military’s withdrawal process was “contingent on the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani”.

The future of the ceasefire may now hinge on what happens with one specific hostage: 29-year-old Arbel Yehud. 

Israel said Hamas violated the ceasefire agreement by not releasing Yehud, a civilian woman, before it freed the female soldiers. As a result it has said it will not allow Palestinian civilians to return to northern Gaza until Yehud’s release is arranged.

It remains unclear why Yehud has not been freed. It was initially thought that she was held by Islamic Jihad, a smaller militant group in Gaza. But Islamic Jihad works closely with Hamas and some of its hostages were freed in the last ceasefire deal.

Yehud was kidnapped from Nir Oz along with her boyfriend Ariel Cunio, who is also still in captivity. Her older brother, Dolev, was killed on Oct. 7, 2023, the day of the Hamas terror attacks on Israel. 

Four Israeli soldiers, all women, have now crossed into Israel marking an emotional end to 476 days in captivity. All four of them were part of the surveillance united at the Nahal Oz military base when they were taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Daniela Gilboa, a 20-year-old from Petah Tikva, is a passionate musician according to the Hostage Families Forum. She texted her mother, “pray for me,” before being captured. Her sister later identified her in footage by her ponytail and pyjamas.

Naama Levy, who turned 20 in captivity, is a keen triathlete from Raanana. Her mother, Ayelet, said she volunteered at a nursery school for refugee children before the attack.

Karina Ariev, 20, from Jerusalem, is a lover of music, writing, and makeup. She called her sister amidst gunfire. Later footage showed her bloodied and bound in a Jeep.

Liri Albag, a 19-year-old from Moshav Yarhi, is an aspiring interior designer and architect. Her mother, Shira, described life since her abduction as living in a “shadow.”

IDF’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the militant group “has not kept all its promises regarding its commitment to return the Israeli civilians first,” adding Israel will advocate for the return of Arbel Yehud and others.

“We insist on abiding by the commitments under the agreement and the return of the civilians first,” he said in a post on X.

Israel has accused Hamas of not keeping its end of the deal by releasing the female soldiers first, rather than the two remaining civilians, with the Prime Minister's office saying the IDF will not allow Gazans to return to north of the strip.

"Israel will not allow the passage of Gazans to the north of the Gaza Strip -- until the release of the citizen Arbel Yehud, who was supposed to be released today, is arranged," it said in a statement.

Hamas, which has not said why Yehud was not released, may see Israel's blockade of northern Gaza as a breach of the agreement.

The Israeli military said the four hostages have arrived at their reception point in southern Israel "where they are being reunited with their parents."

"IDF officers from the Manpower Directorate and IDF medical officials are accompanying the returning hostages, and they will undergo an initial medical assessment," it said in a statement.

Gaza's Hamas-run Interior Ministry said it has completed preparations to allow displaced Palestinians to return to the north of the enclave from the south starting today. 

Palestinians being allowed to return to their neighborhoods in northern Gaza is one of the conditions of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that went into effect late last week.

"We congratulate the expected return of the displaced to their homes and residential areas, and we confirm that the Ministry of Interior’s apparatuses will be at their service," the ministry said in a statement that outlined the routes that have been opened for Palestinians returning by foot and vehicle.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has thanked President Trump in a statement it released shortly after four female Israeli soldiers were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City this morning.

"We extend our deepest gratitude to President Trump, whose instrumental efforts made this deal possible," the forum said.

The statement celebrates the release of Karina Arif, Danielle Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Elbag, with the four hostages having been held in captivity by Hamas for 477 days.

It adds that "their return today represents a moment of light in the darkness, a moment of hope and triumph of spirit, while serving as a painful reminder of the urgency to bring back the 90 hostages still in Gaza." 

Tense scenes were met with celebration in Tel Aviv this morning as four Israeli hostages were released by Hamas and handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City.

The Israeli military said the four hostages have been transferred to its forces in the Gaza Strip, adding that they will be accompanied by Israel Defense Forces special forces on their return to Israel.

The hostages will then undergo an initial medical assessment, the IDF said.

An NBC News crew witnessed the organized crowd of militants wearing balaclavas lined up holding assault weapons in Gaza City's Palestine Square this morning, as they prepared for the handover of four female Israeli soldiers with the International Red Cross.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the handover is underway, saying Red Cross has communicated that the four Israeli hostages have been handed over to them and are on their way to IDF forces in Gaza.

The hostages are expected to then be airlifted to Israel by helicopter.

The four female hostages have been transferred to Red Cross vehicles, NBC News' crew on the ground in Gaza City's Palestine Square said.

The hostages appeared to be wearing military uniforms and were taken to the stage for photographs, according to video footage from Reuters. The vehicles then set off accompanied by Hamas military escorts.

The Palestinian prisoners authority has released a list of the 200 prisoners expected to be handed over by Israel today — a prerequisite to the exchange of Palestinians held by Israel for four female Israeli soldiers held hostage by Hamas. 

Of the 200 prisoners set to be released, 121 were serving life sentences, and 79 were serving long sentences.

The list also includes 70 prisoners who will be deported outside of Gaza and the West Bank, the authority said.

Four Red Cross vehicles, which set off from southern Gaza, have arrived in Palestine Square, an NBC News crew there said.

Unlike the previous hostage handover, this one is more ceremonious, with Hamas setting up a stage in Palestine Square.

Gunmen belonging to the Al-Qassam Brigades — the military wing of Hamas — have lined up on the stage with posters adorned with their logo and slogans in Arabic, English and Hebrew, witnessed a NBC News crew there.

"The Palestinian fighters of freedom will always be the victories,” read one in English behind them. "Zionism will not win," read another poster below them, written in Hebrew, with text covering the logos of Israel's security service, Shin Bet, and IDF battalions.

Hundreds more gunmen have surrounded the stage — a show of force that despite the heavy losses, Hamas is still very much present, and in charge of the enclave.

The Israel Defense Forces said its helicopters have been prepared for receiving the hostages.

"Understand the immense privilege you have, and above all, the great responsibility you bear — to receive the returning hostages, and safely fly them to the hospital," an unidentified Israeli air force commander was seen addressing a group in a video released by IDF.

While Gaza health officials say more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed so far in the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas, that number has continued to rise as a massive clean-up operation is underway.

Gaza's Civil Defense said Friday that 162 bodies have been pulled from the rubble, with more expected to be found.

There may be many more to come. Earlier this month, a London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine study suggested that the death toll in Gaza could be as much as 41% higher than official figures indicate.

A NBC News crew witnessed Red Cross vehicles setting off from southern Gaza along the Salah El-Din street towards Gaza City, where the hostage transfer is expected to take place.

Hundreds of armed men from various Palestinian factions as well as Hamas' military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, have also been deployed in Palestine Square where crowds of people are forming to witness the handover.

NBC News' crew on the ground in Gaza has seen a large deployment of fighters in Gaza City's Palestine Square, with members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds Brigades and Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades among other factions arriving at the square in advance of the handing over of four female Israeli soldiers.

The first handover, which took place last Sunday, saw the first three Israeli hostages handed over amid a heavy presence of uniformed Hamas militants.

Looking down at her father’s body wrapped in a shroud outside Nasser Hospital in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis, a little girl wailed: “Daddy ... Why did you leave us?”

All around her, rows of body bags lay on the ground in the footage filmed by an NBC News crew Thursday. Families gathered around, mourning over their loved ones whose remains were pulled from the rubble of homes and buildings toppled during Israel’s military offensive in the Palestinian enclave.

In the six days since a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas came into effect, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have made their way back to their old homes. Many have found nothing more than rubble where their neighborhoods once stood.

Israel launched its deadly offensive in the enclave following the Hamas-led attacks Oct. 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 and saw around 250 people taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies, an assault that marked a major escalation in a decadeslong conflict.

Since then, more than 47,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to health officials in the enclave.

Read the full story here.

Hamas said Friday that it would release four female soldiers on Saturday as part of the the ceasefire and hostage release deal it struck with Israel.

Karina Ariev, Danielle Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag will be transferred into Israeli custody in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said in a Telegram post.

All four hostages are alive, Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, told NBC News in a separate statement.

He added that 200 prisoners would be released, including 120 sentenced to life and 80 who had been handed long sentences. He did not any provide further details.

Israel has not confirmed the names of those set to be released.

Read the full story here.

The Israel Defense Forces says it has completed preparations to receive the four hostages held by Hamas who are expected to be released as part of the ceasefire agreement.

“The Manpower Directorate established and prepared initial reception points where the returning hostages will receive medical care and personal support,” the IDF said.

“Afterward, they will be transferred to hospitals and reunited with their families,” it said.

Since the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas went into effect on Sunday, much-needed aid has been pouring into Gaza as Palestinians trek north to see what is left of their homes after an intense 15-month bombing campaign that has rocked the enclave.

As of Wednesday, more than 2,400 aid trucks had entered the Gaza Strip, according to officials from the United Nations. Video from Reuters showed trucks rolling into Gaza's south, as Palestinians ran after them, scrambling to pick up purple plastic aid bags that had fallen off.

During the conflict, aid flows to the blockaded enclave were severely restricted. Under the ceasefire deal, Israeli officials must allow at least 600 truckloads of aid, including 50 carrying fuel, to enter Gaza daily during the initial six weeks. Half of those trucks will be directed to Gaza’s north, where experts had warned famine was imminent.

Looking down at her father’s body wrapped in a shroud outside Nasser Hospital in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis, a little girl wailed: “Daddy ... Why did you leave us?”

All around her, rows of body bags lay on the ground in the footage filmed by an NBC News crew Thursday. Families gathered around, mourning over their loved ones whose remains were pulled from the rubble of homes and buildings toppled during Israel’s military offensive in the Palestinian enclave.

In the six days since a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas came into effect, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have made their way back to their old homes. Many have found nothing more than rubble where their neighborhoods once stood.

Read the full story here.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested Friday that Israel might not withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon by a deadline set in its ceasefire with Hezbollah, and Washington appears prepared to push for an extension.

Under the deal reached in November, Israel is supposed to complete its withdrawal from the country by Sunday. Hezbollah militants must pull back to the north of the Litani River, and the Lebanese armed forces would patrol the buffer zone in southern Lebanon alongside U.N. peacekeepers.

Netanyahu said in a statement that the ceasefire “is based on the understanding that the withdrawal process could possibly continue beyond the 60 days.” The statement added that the Lebanese government hasn’t yet “fully enforced” the agreement, an apparent reference to the deployment of Lebanese troops.

Israeli officials have held talks in recent days with the United States, which brokered the agreement along with France.

The Trump administration believes that “a short, temporary ceasefire extension is urgently needed” in Lebanon, National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement Friday.