Hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, all aged 20, and 19-year-old Liri Albag, were all serving with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) when they were captured on October 7 2023.
Surrounded by armed Hamas fighters on Saturday morning, the women waved and smiled as they were led on to a podium in Gaza City before being guided to Red Cross vehicles waiting to take them to a border point to be handed to the IDF, and then travelled back to Israel.
They were freed by Hamas in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, including 120 who are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis.
At the same time as the Israeli hostages arrived at a hospital in Tel Aviv, the Palestinian prisoners were met by huge crowds in the West Bank.
The prisoners, all wearing grey tracksuits, were seen getting off a large white coach before they were mobbed by a jubilant crowd. After initially walking, the prisoners were soon lifted onto the shoulders of those in the crowd to carry them away.
The multi-stage fragile ceasefire deal - mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt - has so far held, winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the militant group.
Its first six-week phase includes the release of 33 out of 94 hostages - women, children, men over 50, the ill and wounded - in return for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Source: Sky