Day 477 - Amid Hamas pomp, 4 female soldier hostages released

The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

The Times of Israel

News

4.4 • 864 Ratings

🗓️ 25 January 2025

⏱️ 19 minutes

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Summary

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's special update.

This morning, four female soldiers held hostage by Hamas for 477 days — Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag — were released by the terror group after being paraded through a Gaza City square and made to participate in a demeaning ceremony before being handed over to the Red Cross.

Hamas "gift bags" in hand, the four young women returned to Israel and were reunited with their families at the IDF base near Re'im, mere kilometers from the Gaza border.

Fabian reminds listeners of Hamas's murderous October 7, 2023, takeover of the Nahal Oz IDF base that saw 66 soldiers murdered and seven female surveillance officers taken prisoner.

We hear what we currently know about the physical health of the four released today and details from the handover.

Fabian also updates us on Israel's response to Hamas's overt violation of the ceasefire-hostage release deal which should have seen female civilian Arbel Yehud -- and any other living female civilian and children -- released ahead of the female soldiers.

For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

4 female soldier hostages freed by Hamas, paraded on Gaza stage, returned to Israel

Israel blocks Palestinians from returning to north Gaza after Hamas breaks truce terms

Bibas family: ‘World came crashing down’ when Shiri, kids weren’t slated for release

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: A Palestinian woman throws confetti as Hamas fighters prepare to hand over four Israeli hostages to a Red Cross team from a stage at a square in Gaza City on January 25, 2025. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Times of Israel's daily briefing.
0:09.0	Today is Saturday, January 25th, day 477 of the war.
0:15.0	Amanda Barshall, Don here with our military reporter, Emmanuel Fabian, for a special Shabbat report after four Hamas hostages were
0:22.6	released this morning. Many, thank you so much for joining me.
0:26.7	Hi, Amanda. Shabbat Shalom. And just before noon today, released hostage soldiers
0:32.8	Karina Arreyev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama, Levi and L al-Bagh, crossed the border into Israel and met with their parents at an IDF facility near Reim.
0:44.1	We will speak about the Hamas stage ceremony before the young women were released and we'll hear about the status of the ID of troops on the ground in Gaza right now,
0:55.6	as there is a bit of a violation of the ceasefire agreement on the part of Hamas.
1:01.4	We'll also learn which hostages were not released.
1:04.7	All this and much, much more when we're back.
1:13.6	During this period of upheaval in Israel, across the Middle East, and in U.S.-Israel
1:18.1	relations, it's always tough to see through the fog of war and get clarity about what's
1:23.1	really happening and what's really important on the ground.
1:27.0	These days, too, can be really difficult to
1:29.5	talk about, let alone envision a better way forward and a better future for everyone living in the
1:35.5	region. Join me, Tel Aviv based journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber
1:41.1	as I host the very top analysts, journalists, policymakers, and other
1:45.9	experts for in-depth conversations to keep you informed on the most critical issues challenging
1:51.4	Israel's future as secure, Jewish, and democratic. Find Israel Policy Pod, wherever you get your
1:58.4	podcasts, and let's get into it.
2:24.3	It's another hugely emotional day for Israel as four of our hostages, all young women who were among seven female soldiers abducted from the idea of surveillance unit at the Nakhil O's army base during the
2:30.5	Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023.
	...

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