Hamas to free four more female Israeli hostages on Saturday following cease-fire deal

Hamas is set to free four more female Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners Saturday in the second release since the warring sides reached a long-awaited cease-fire deal last week.

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told Agence France-Presse that four of the terror group’s remaining seven female hostages would be released this weekend after more than 15 months in captivity — as agreed to in the first phase of the 42-day fighting pause.

Nunu did not reveal which four women would be released.

On Sunday, the first day of the cease-fire, Hamas freed three Israeli women — Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher — in exchange for dozens of Palestinian prisoners.

The first phase of the deal, which nearly fell through at the last moment, is designed to halt fighting in the decimated enclave while a total of 33 Israeli hostages are gradually freed from captivity in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

There were 97 hostages — civilians and soldiers — listed in captivity when the deal was inked, but only 60 are believed to be alive.

The first phase will additionally see hundreds of trucks filled with desperately needed humanitarian aid go into Gaza daily while Israeli soldiers temporarily retreat to a buffer zone along the Israeli border to allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes.

Meanwhile, Hamas will release more hostages weekly.

Israel agreed to allow 30 Palestinian women, children and elderly prisoners go in exchange for every civilian hostage freed from Gaza.

For every female Israeli soldier released, the Jewish state will deliver 50 Palestinian prisoners — including 30 facing life sentences.

There are seven female hostages still in Hamas’ hands, according to the Times of Israel: Arbel Yehud, 29, Shiri Silberman Bibas, 33, Liri Albag, 19, Karina Ariev, 20, Agam Berger, 21, Danielle Gilboa, 20, and Naama Levy, 20. All of the women except the first two, Yehud and Bibas, are soldiers.

Negotiations over the second phase of the agreement will begin on the 16th day of the first phase and are expected to get hairy as both sides look to find a permanent solution to stop the violence.

If Israel and Hamas reach a further deal at this point, all remaining hostages are to be freed and, in return, Israel will completely withdraw from Gaza.

But Israel will not completely pull out from the region until Hamas gives up its military and political power — which it has indicated it may be willing to do.

In the final phase of the cease-fire, Hamas would hand over the bodies of the rest of the missing hostages in Gaza in return for a three- to five-year rebuilding plan in the decimated Palestinian territory under international supervision.

Source » nypost.com