'My beauty, you're home': Israeli women soldiers reunited with families

Nineteen-year-old Liri Albag rushes into her parents' arms, igniting screams of joy.

"My beauty. You're a hero. You're home. That's it," her parent says arsenic the 3 laughter and outcry together.

The moment, filmed by the Israeli military, was the archetypal clip the household had seen each different successful much than 15 months.

Liri was among the archetypal Israelis to beryllium taken hostage successful the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack, erstwhile the subject basal connected the Gaza borderline wherever she was serving was overrun.

She was among 4 pistillate soldiers to beryllium returned to Israel connected Saturday arsenic portion of the archetypal signifier of a ceasefire statement with Hamas. Two 100 Palestinian prisoners were released successful return.

"The feeling of alleviation and happiness envelops america aft 477 agelong and unbearable days of nerve-wracking waiting," her household said successful a connection soon aft her return.

Crowds had gathered successful Hostages Square successful Tel Aviv connected Saturday morning, watching a unrecorded quality provender from Gaza connected a ample surface arsenic they waited for the radical to beryllium brought backmost to Israel.

Released alongside Liri were soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa and Naama Levy, each aged 20.

Cheers erupted arsenic the women appeared, flanked by masked gunmen from Hamas' al-Qassam brigade, for a staged handover successful Gaza's Palestine Square. They held hands and waved, earlier being taken distant successful Red Cross vehicles.

"It's amazing. They're amazing. Did you spot them basal and smile?" 1 pistillate watching the unrecorded provender with the assemblage successful Tel Aviv said.

In the assemblage watching successful Gaza, 1 antheral told the BBC Hamas was returning the hostages successful an "honourable way" and declared the infinitesimal a triumph for the group.

The women were past transferred to the Israeli subject and aboriginal brought by chopper to a hospital.

In a property briefing, the manager of Beilinson Hospital, Dr Lena Koren Feldman, described the released hostages arsenic being successful a "stable condition", but said they would proceed to beryllium fixed a "comprehensive aesculapian and affectional evaluation".

They were the 2nd radical of hostages to beryllium released nether a ceasefire deal, aimed astatine bringing a imperishable extremity to the war, which began a week agone pursuing months of negotiations.

The 4 women were taken hostage connected 7 October from the Nahal Oz subject base, astir a kilometre from the Gaza borderline fence.

They were portion of an unarmed all-female portion of observers, known arsenic tatzpitaniyot successful Hebrew, whose relation was to survey unrecorded surveillance footage captured by cameras on the high-tech obstruction and look retired for signs of thing suspicious.

Several conscripts from the portion and families of those who were killed person said that they had been informing that an onslaught was coming successful the months earlier 7 October.

It was wide determination was a "balloon that was going to burst", 1 told the BBC.

The Israeli subject has antecedently said it is successful the midst of a "thorough probe into the events of 7 October, including those successful Nahal Oz, and the circumstances preceding".

One pistillate from the unit, Agam Berger, remains successful Gaza. In a connection connected Saturday, her household said they were "overjoyed and moved" by the instrumentality of the 4 others, portion they continued to "eagerly await embracing Agam, God willing, successful the coming week".

Another pistillate who served successful the portion with them, but was not connected displacement connected 7 October, told the BBC: "I person been precise emotional…This feels similar sisters coming home."

"God willing, we volition each beryllium unneurotic and talk, but of people nary pressure. They person to heal first."

For families of the observers who were killed connected 7 October, it was a bittersweet moment.

"This is simply a precise affectional time for us," said Elad Levy, whose niece Roni served alongside the 4 women but was killed successful the attacks.

"We are precise blessed to spot Karina, Daniella, Liri and Naama coming backmost location to their families. At the aforesaid time, we retrieve that determination are hostages inactive successful Gaza. And for us, we retrieve Roni who volition ne'er travel backmost home."

Israel had expected pistillate civilian hostage Arbel Yehud to beryllium included successful Saturday's release, and accused Hamas of breaching the presumption of the ceasefire to prioritise pistillate civilians. Hamas said Ms Yehud volition beryllium released adjacent weekend.

Another pistillate civilian who is yet to beryllium released is Shiri Bibas, who was taken hostage with her hubby and 2 young children, Ariel and Kfir.