Truce in Gaza: who are the four hostage soldiers that Hamas must release on Saturday?

It was a list anticipated, both eagerly and cautiously. Five days after the release of the first three hostages, Hamas published, Friday January 24, shortly after 4 p.m., the names of four new hostages, “four female soldiers” Israelis, who will be released on Saturday January 25 as part of a second round of exchanges with Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, in accordance with the truce agreement in Gaza.

Through the voice of Abou Obeida, spokesperson for its armed wing, the Palestinian Islamist movement communicated the identities of “four female soldiers” : Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag, all kidnapped on October 7, 2023 at the Nahal Oz military base. The office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, immediately confirmed having received, via the mediators, a “list of hostages” releasable, without saying more.

Karina Ariev, 20 ans

There is very little information on Karina Ariev since that fateful October 7. That day, it was just 7 a.m. when the young woman, in tears, called her parents. On the phone, she described to them a deluge of rockets and gunfire. “She was screaming, she said she loved us very much. She told us to continue living”testified his mother to Times of Israël (new window). Forty minutes after this last exchange, at 7:40 a.m., communication was broken. Karina has just been kidnapped from the Nahal Oz military base by terrorists.

Without news, her loved ones only discovered later that she was alive. She is identified in a video broadcast by Hamas on Telegram. A video in which we see three young women lying in a jeep, surrounded by men speaking in Arabic. Karina appears there, captive, lying down with her face bleeding, alongside Daniella Gilboa.

Last month, the October 7 collective dedicated a Facebook post to him, revealing several elements of his personality. Thus, we could learn that “Karina is a master in the art of solving complex puzzles of several thousand pieces”; “is a talented flute player” ; “speaks four languages ​​fluently” ; “loves children and volunteers in a kindergarten” or “loves driving and got his license on the first try”. According to the Hostage Families Forum, “she dreams of becoming a psychologist”.

Daniella Gilboa, 20 ans

Like Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa was captured on the Nahal Oz base. His last sign of life was in a Hamas propaganda video (new window) toured in January 2024, but whose family only authorized its broadcast in July. “Where were you on October 7 when I was taken from my bed? Where are you now?”she then vigorously calls on the Israeli government. “Why leave me, who served under difficult conditions in the Gaza border region? Why must I feel abandoned and rejected by you again?”

“Pull yourself together, to bring us all home, while we are alive”says the young woman. “I don’t need food, money, clothes, or anything else, just for you to get us home alive.” “In the images she appears strong and determined, but the psychological evaluations we received indicate her poor mental state”reacted his mother, after it was put online, to the Jerusalem Post (new window).

Described by those close to him as “a funny girl” et “a talented singer and musician with a dazzling smile”Daniella Gilboa is destined for a musical career. Originally from Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, her original name was Daniel (or Danielle). “Two weeks after his kidnapping, Daniel Gilboa’s parents spoke to a rabbi who recommended giving him a second name and changing his name from Daniel to Daniella”according to the Hostage Families Forum. “In Hebrew, adding the letter ה’ (which means “God” and sounds like “a”) to the end of a name symbolizes adding divine protection to the person.” Her boyfriend, with whom she has been in a relationship for eight years, asked her parents for their blessing to propose to her upon her release.

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Face Plate, 20 ans

“I’ve never heard anything like it in my entire life.” This is the last text message sent by Naama Levy to her mother, the day she was kidnapped in Nahal Oz. Shortly after, a video went viral showing her being forcibly removed from the trunk of a pickup truck by a Hamas fighter, who dragged her by her hair. She appears visibly injured, her gray jogging pants stained with blood. Hostages released since “said she was injured in her legs but she was walking and had been through very difficult times”confided his mother to Kan B radio in November 2023.

“All of Naama’s previous videos (…) were full of joy, laughter and optimism”she lamented last July. “She danced with her friends, laughed with her siblings, talked about peace as part of a peace-seeking delegation, and played with refugee children in the kindergarten where she volunteered.” Before her kidnapping, the young triathlete, second in a family of four children and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, volunteered in the “Hands of Peace” program, which promotes dialogue between young Israelis and Palestinians.

Liri Albag, 19 years old

This is the hostage we have the most recent news about. They date from January 4 precisely. Liri Albag appears, in tears, head in hands, in a video released by the armed wing of Hamas. She calls on the Hebrew government to act as quickly as possible. “The video (…) broke our hearts. This is not the daughter and sister we know. She is not doing well, her serious psychological distress is evident”explained in another video (new window) his parents, Shira and Eli, hired to secure the release of the hostages.

Aged 18 when she was captured, just a day and a half after beginning her role as observer, the young woman who dreams of becoming an interior designer and studying design in Paris succeeded during her captivity in making messages to his loved ones via freed hostages. In particular, she orders her sister Shai not to touch her favorite shoes. Noa Argamani, a hostage released by the IDF in June 2024, said they were held together for a while. According to her, Liri Albag is treated like a domestic slave, with very little to eat or drink. She was forced to clean, eat and babysit for her captors.