TRANSCRIPT
Screams of joy, after 477 days of heartache.
19-year-old Israeli soldier Liri Albag, re-united with her parents.
She's one of four female Israeli soldiers, along with Naama Levy, Kariana Ariev, and Daniella Gilboa, just released by Hamas as part of the ceasefire deal.
Joy, too for some Palestinians.
Celebrations in the city of Khan Younis in Gaza as several of the 200 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrive home.
One of them is Abdulrahman Balousha.
His sister, Ikhlas Balousha, says she feels a complex mix of emotions upon her brother's release.
"A feeling of dignity, joy, a feeling of victory despite the pain - a moment when you could have been a martyr, but praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, who allowed us to see him. Praise be to God who kept us steadfast on this land, praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, praise of the grateful, praise of the steadfast, that we reached the moment to see him free in our hands, free in the embrace of his wife, his family, his loved ones, in these difficult circumstances, despite the destruction, despite the ruin, despite the pain, despite the suffering, despite the starvation, and despite the genocide we experienced."
70 of the Palestinians released were deported to Egypt.
From there, they'll travel on to third countries.
Israeli authorities say these people were serving sentences for deadly attacks on israelis - and they won't be allowed to return to Gaza or the West Bank.
But there's still tension just below the surface in the midst of this six-week ceasefire.
A fifth Israeli soldier, 20-year-old Agram Berger, was supposed to be released.
However, she hasn't been.
In retaliation, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have not been allowed to return to northern Gaza... Israel not opening the Netzarim route that bisects Gaza.
Deiass Abdel Rahman is one such displaced Palestinian.
She says she must get home - at any cost.
"Our situation is difficult and distressing. In the winter and the cold, we are waiting for the checkpoint to be opened and we are waiting for a response from the Israelis, who have brought us to this situation, unable to protect ourselves or our children. In this situation and this cold, we are waiting to return to our homes, whether it's destroyed or it remains. What is important is that we return. Whether we sleep or die, or get martyred in our homes is better than being humiliated in the streets."
Mediators are trying to solve the dispute.
The four Israeli women returned were just four of 251 Israelis taken hostage in the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Israel says 87 still remain in Gaza, and says 34 of them have died already.
Zahiro-Shahar Mor is a relative of one of the deceased, Avraham Munder.
He says Israel can't rest until every hostage- alive or dead- is returned to Israel.
''Our dear daughters and sisters Liri, Karina, Naama and Daniella, you are heroines, the entire nation has been waiting for your return. Your families fought tirelessly for your release with the support of countless members of the public who fought beside them. Words cannot describe how good it is to have you back home. Imagine the joy that this nation will feel when every single hostage is released. We must fully implement the deal to ensure all our hostages return to us. That is the true victory.''
Mr Mor lays the blame for the situation firmly at the feet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and is pleading with new U-S President Donald Trump to help expediate the process.
