Hamas Frees 4 Israeli Soldiers; Tel Aviv to Release 200 Detainees in Gaza Truce Deal

Hamas militants handed over four captive female Israeli soldiers to the Red Cross in Gaza City on Saturday after parading them in front of a crowd.

- Associated Press

TEL AVIV: Israel was set to release 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees later in the day as part of the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The four smiled broadly as they waved and gave the thumbs-up from a stage in Gaza City's Palestine Square, militants on either side of them and a crowd of thousands watching, before they were led off to waiting Red Cross vehicles. They were likely acting under duress.

Israel meanwhile released 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt, according to Egypt's state-run Qahera TV, which said they had arrived on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza. Egypt served as a key mediator in more than a year of talks that led to the truce agreement. Many of the 200 Palestinian prisoners set for release on Saturday are to be sent into exile.