Tel Aviv witnessed another day full of emotions on Saturday as four Israeli hostages held by Hamas were reunited with their families in the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. Four women – Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, and Naama Levy, all aged 20, and Liri Albagh (19) – waved, smiled, and gave a thumbs-up as they reached the border.
“Welcome home Liri, Daniella, Karina and Naama,” the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said on Twitter.
this is the moment
Welcome home Liri, Daniella, Karina and Naama. pic.twitter.com/1dabwx9ix4
– Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 25, 2025
He was taken prisoner by Hamas during their attack on October 7, 2023, which killed at least 1200 people. The Lebanon-backed group released him after 477 days of captivity – in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners.
The IDF also shared several videos and images of women reuniting with their families.
Visuals showed women running towards their family members and embracing them with tears of joy.
They are in our hands now and we are not giving up
Welcome home, Daniella, Liri, Karina and Naama. pic.twitter.com/a1v9fcbqy6
– Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 25, 2025
Another video shows the moment families of the released hostages saw their loved ones finally return home.
The moment when tears of sadness turned into tears of joy as the families of the hostages finally saw their loved ones back home 💛 pic.twitter.com/avvbyt9chz
– Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 25, 2025
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According to Daniela’s 15-year-old sister, the family never lost hope. “We remained optimistic and we did everything to see her back, to have her return… Wow, I imagined her completely different. It brought back all the feelings I had last year,” He said.
Upon his release, Liri, in a video, thanked Israeli forces for bringing him back.
“I love you, all of the people of Israel who supported and embraced our families, and the IDF soldiers who did everything for us. We are so grateful. I love you,” she said.
Liri’s touching message to the citizens of Israel was “I love you, thank you!” pic.twitter.com/dozzmtmmrs
– M. Yisroel Chai 🇮🇱🎗 (@kyg_best) January 25, 2025
In addition to the families of the released hostages, thousands of hostages gathered in Tel Aviv, cheering as a giant screen broadcast the first glimpse of the women. On the other hand, there were mass celebrations in Gaza, as buses carrying Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah in the West Bank.
Israel began a six-week ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza on January 19, more than 15 months into a war that has killed more than 47,000 people. In the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, Hamas released three women in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas took 251 Israeli hostages – 87 of whom remain in Gaza, of whom 34 have been killed.
During the six-week ceasefire, 33 hostages are being freed in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
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