The friends and families of the four released hostages have reacted with joy at their handover today. 

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag were seen on a stage in Palestine Square, Gaza City, before being taken into ambulances and driven to the Israeli border.

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Liri the hero,” Albag’s friends told the Ynet news site. “We saw Liri coming back. She waved her hand and she seems fine. It’s crazy. We were really worried, but she’s a hero.”

Gilboa’s family told Channel 12 news that they were delighted to see her walk out of the Hamas vehicle.

“She is a hero. We were so happy to see her on her feet,” they said.

One of Levy’s friends told Ynet that the four women were “amazing” and that they had been concerned that they would not be on their feet.

“I have no words to describe the feelings now to see Naama back on her feet along with three other amazing, heroic girls,” the friend says.

“We don’t know what she went through there, and we can only imagine the hell. I thought the worst, I dreamed that she was coming out in the worst possible condition, sitting or lying down or worse.”

Female surveillance soldier Agam Berger remains in Hamas captivity. The five women were taken from the Nahal Oz base on October 7.