Karina Ariev was one of the four Israeli women soldiers released by Hamas on Saturday. Besides her, three other female soldiers were returned to Israel, including Liri Albag, Naama Levy and Danielle Gilboa.
The four women were seen walking on a stage as several Hamas operatives watch. They were clad in military uniforms and carried gift bags given by Hamas. Following this, they were handed over to the International Red Cross, which transported them to the Israeli side.
Who is Karina Ariev?
Karina Ariev, who is now 20, was abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, from the IDF surveillance unit in the Nahal Oz army base.
The families of released hostage soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag react during the moment they were handed over to IDF troops by the Red Cross, in a video published by the military. pic.twitter.com/I70TTsCR6q
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) January 25, 2025
She has volunteered at a kindergarten school and is a flute player. She speaks four languages and is skilled at solving puzzles. She also loves watching horror movies, according to her parents.
Ariev's parents revealed that they last spoke to her at 7 am on October 7, when she told them that rockets and bullets are being fired at them. They lost all communication with her by 7.40 am.
Ariev was later seen in a Hamas video where she and two other lay down in a vehicle guarded by men speaking in Arabic.
Hamas had released a video in January 2024, showing Ariev along with Daniella Gilboa and Doron Steinbrecher. Among these, Gilboa is being released on Saturday, while Steinbrecher was released last Sunday.
Her mother later told N12 News that she chose not to watch the video. "Your girl is there alone and you cannot help, you cannot do anything…I don't know what my little girl is going through," she said.
Besides Steinbrecher, Hamas had also released two other women civilians, including Romi Gonen and Emily Damari.
