Four female Israeli soldiers freed in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners

Israeli female soldier hostages Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev and Liri Albag, in no particular order, saluted a Palestinian crowd (AP Photo/Abed Hajjar)

Four female Israeli soldiers who were taken in the attack that sparked the war in Gaza have returned to Israel after Hamas militants paraded them before a crowd of thousands in Gaza City before handing them over to the Red Cross.

Israel later released 200 Palestinian prisoners in the second such exchange during a fragile ceasefire.