Image source, EVN

A top official in Israel’s health ministry has delivered an update on the treatment of the four hostages freed earlier today by Hamas.

“Today we are admitting them after 477 days in Hamas captivity,” Dr Hagar Mizrahi tells the media during a press conference. “This is an unimaginable reality.”

The four hostages were taken to Beilinson-Schneider Hospital and given a thorough medical evaluation, which was “emotionally and medically complex”, she adds.

The government official doesn't expand on the condition of the four women, and finishes by asking for privacy for the hostages as they return to normal life in Israel.

We are also expecting to hear from the hospital’s director this afternoon - we’ll bring you their remarks as soon as we get them.

The BBC's Jon Donnison watched on in Ramallah as Palestinian prisoners released by Israel were greeted by cheering crowds in the West Bank.

You can get a sense of the scene he witnessed in this short clip here:

We're now receiving a report from the Israel Prison Service saying all 200 Palestinian prisoners due to be released today have been freed.

"After the conclusion of the necessary activities in the prisons and the approval of political authorities, all the terrorists were released from the Ofer and Ktziot prisons," the statement, cited by AFP and Reuters, says.

Jon Donnison
Reporting from Ramallah

Unlike last week’s release, which mainly involved people serving relatively minor sentences, 121 of the prisoners being released today have been serving a life sentence - some were convicted of multiple murders, including the killing of Israeli civilians.

There’s a wide range of ages among those being freed. The youngest Palestinian prisoner expected to be released today is just 16 years old, while the oldest is 69. One prisoner has spent 39 years in an Israeli prison, having first been arrested in 1986.

The most serious offenders - those convicted of the gravest crimes - won’t be arriving here today. Around 70 of them are being deported via Egypt to neighbouring countries, including Qatar and Turkey.

While we wait for more information about the Palestinian prisoners arriving in Ramallah, we can update you that the four Israeli soldiers released a few hours ago have just arrived by helicopter to a hospital near Tel Aviv.

A crowd of people stood close to the helipad, waving Israeli flags and holding up banners.

Privacy shields were placed around the helicopter and the women boarded a van after disembarking.

Our correspondent Alice Cuddy reporting from Hostage Square in Tel Aviv says cheers erupted as people gathered there watched a live stream of the helicopter carrying the four women landing at the hospital.

Silence fell as they then listened to the names of those still held in Gaza.

Image source, GPO

Image source, GPO

Jon Donnison
Reporting from Ramallah

The buses are just arriving here, where hundreds of people have gathered. Over the top of an ambulance, fireworks are going off in celebration.

When the prisoners arrive, they’ll fall into the arms of their loved ones and families, many of whom have been waiting here for hours. It’s a mood of celebration after a period of nervous anticipation.

Of the 200 prisoners being released, we’re expecting around half to arrive here in Ramallah today.

One thing is very different from last week. Then, there was a noticeable show of support for Hamas. Today, Hamas’s rival, the Fatah movement, has turned out in force. They’re keen to show their backing for the Palestinian prisoners.

But the reality is that this release – the first phase of a deal that will see another 1,600 freed – is giving a boost to Hamas’s growing popularity in the West Bank.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, IDF

In a post on X, Liri Albag's family says: "The feeling of relief and happiness envelops us after 477 long and unbearable days of nerve-wracking waiting."

The family says that they have been able to see Liri and hug her, and add that they are "proud of her steadfastness in the impossible conditions".

They conclude by saying that their thoughts are with the hostages who remain in Gaza.

Karina Ariev is another of the female soldiers released by Hamas this morning, and her family says their hearts are "filled with immense gratitude and happiness".

"After 477 long and harrowing days of pain, worry and endless anxiety - we were finally able to hug our beloved Karina, hear her voice and see her smile that fills us with light again," they write in a statement published on X.

The family thanks those who assisted with the process of reuniting them with Karina. "Our Karina is a symbol of courage, strength of heart and determination, and we are proud of her beyond words".

And, like the family of fellow hostage Liri Albag, the Ariev family says their thoughts are with other relatives who are "still waiting for their miracle" as Israeli hostages remain in Gaza.

Image source, IDF

Naama Levy was released today by Hamas after being captured on 7 October, and the IDF has shared pictures of her reuniting with her relatives.

In a statement on X, Naama's family says: "We are happy and excited to see Naama standing on her feet and returning to us."

They add that their "hearts go out" to those families still waiting for the return of their loved ones.

"We will not give up until the last of the kidnapped is returned," they say.

Image source, IDF

Image source, IDF

We've heard from the family of Daniela Gilboa - another of today's released hostages.

They say: "Our Daniela Noushi survived 477 days in hell in Gaza and now she has returned to a family embrace with us!"

In a statement on X, the family says that they pray for the speedy return of other hostages, and thank people for their prayers.

"How we longed for this moment," they write.

The aunt of Liri Albag, the 19-year-old Israeli soldier released a few hours ago, says seeing her niece freed by Hamas was "pure joy".

"It is such unbelievable joy and I can't believe we have come to see this moment," says Ruhama Albag.

"I also think that everyone needs to be happy with us and also get ready for what's to come. We won't rest for a moment until everyone is back... this moment can't be described, it is pure joy."

Alice Cuddy
Reporting from Tel Aviv

We’ve been speaking to displaced people in Gaza who had been hoping to return to their homes in the north this weekend.

“There is nothing there - there is no life, everything is demolished. But still to return to your land, to your home is a big joy,” says 25-year-old Ali Hassouna.

He says he is disappointed by the announcement from the Israeli prime minister that Gazans will not be allowed to return north until arrangements are made for hostage Abel Yehud to be brought back to Israel.

“We had started taking down our tents because we were so excited to leave”, Ali says.

“We hope this problem will be solved as soon as possible so we can go back… we’re ready any time to move. By walking, by driving, anything.”

Last night 30-year-old Saeb told us he had no home to go back to but needed to "check the rubble".

"I've been displaced since November 2023. I'll walk home and bring water and food for the road, and some clothes," he said.

"The idea of seeing my family, my loved ones, my friends is spurring me back to the north. We need to bury our dead. Our loved ones who died. You want to go and see your home, to collect what remains of it.”

Image source, Reuters

We’re now seeing more than 10 cars with sirens blaring in Ramallah, escorting buses displaying Red Cross signs.

The road is completely gridlocked, so the buses are moving very slowly.

Our correspondent Jon Donnison is at the arrival point of the buses.

He says he’s expecting a "rapturous reception" when they arrive, adding, "there will be possibly fireworks, a mood of celebration and a relief for the families waiting for them".

Jon Donnison
Reporting from Ramallah

Palestinian prisoners are now on their way to Ramallah, where you can see a lot of Palestinian flags and families beginning to gather.

The buses are on their way from Ofer prison, about three miles away, so they should be here soon. Those Palestinian prisoners will be able to reunite with their loved ones.

Among the 200 to be released, 121 have been serving life sentences in Israeli prisons. Some have been convicted by Israeli courts of multiple murders.

The longest-serving prisoner has been in prison for 39 years, since 1986, and the youngest prisoner is a 16-year-old boy.

Around half of the prisoners will be allowed to return to their homes in the West Bank and 70 - those convicted of the most serious offences - will be deported via Egypt to neighbouring countries, including Qatar and Turkey. A small number of the prisoners will be sent to Gaza.

Some of the prisoners have been held for short periods of time, and some have never been charged with a crime but were held under something called administrative detention.

Last Sunday's release of 90 Palestinian detainees were mainly women who had not been charged with any criminal offence.

Today, prisoners with much more serious offences - including killing Israeli citizens - are going to be deported.

People here are waiting for their children to get out, their brothers, their sisters, their fathers, their mothers - and it's difficult with a lot of emotion on both sides.

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Image source, EPA

In a highly choreographed ceremony this morning, a second hostage release was carried out in Gaza City.

Six days on from the first three hostages being released, Hamas released another four Israeli women as large crowds clambered over rubble to catch a glimpse. Here’s what to know:

• Four female hostages who were held by Hamas in Gaza have returned to Israel
• Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag were IDF soldiers working at an observation post when they were captured on 7 October. They are now undergoing medical checks after reuniting with their families
• The four women were brought onto a stage in Palestine Square, and waved to crowds of civilians and gunmen carrying Hamas insignia. They then were transported to the IDF by the Red Cross
• In Tel Aviv, crowds cheered and cried as they watched a live feed of the exchange in Hostage Square
• As part of the release agreement, 200 Palestinian prisoners are being released from Israeli-run prisons - the first of them have been loaded into buses
• Many Palestinians had also been hoping to return to homes in the north, but Israel says this will not be allowed to enter the area until arrangements are made for civilian hostage Arbel Yehud to be returned. Her release was expected today, but her name was left off the list of freed hostages for unknown reasons

We’ll continue to bring you reaction as the hostages reunite with their families - and Palestinian prisoners are released - throughout the afternoon, so stick with us.

Rushdi Abualouf
BBC News Gaza correspondent, in Cairo

More than a million Palestinians in Gaza are holding their breath, watching developments in Cairo, where mediators are meeting to resolve a dispute that emerged after Israel demanded Hamas release an Israeli hostage held by Islamic Jihad militants.

Israel stipulated that freeing this hostage is a condition for allowing Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

From the early hours of the morning, people had begun preparing their belongings and vehicles, hoping to travel back to northern Gaza.

Some buses carrying displaced residents already arrived at a point close to the Israeli military checkpoint that separates northern and southern Gaza in the Netzarim area, ready to return tomorrow.

This latest news has deeply disappointed those who have been counting the days, hours, and minutes, longing to go back to northern Gaza after more than 15 months of displacement in the south.

Some have voiced their frustration through Facebook posts criticizing Hamas, while others are trying to reassure the public, urging them to wait for further instructions in hopes that the mediators will succeed in resolving the dispute.

Should an agreement be reached, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians could finally return to their villages and towns in the north of the Strip.

Alice Cuddy
Reporting from Tel Aviv

As mentioned in an earlier post, the young women hostages returning today were soldiers in a unit responsible for observing Gaza and looking for signs of anything suspicious.

In Hostage Square, I've just been speaking to Merav Gilad, whose daughter is an observer but was based in the north of Israel on 7 October 2023.

She says the four women are "exactly like my daughter."

"I feel so close to them so it's very personal to me," she says of today's release.

She says the role of the observers, or tatzpitaniyot, is "very important" but that they were not listened to before the 7 October attacks.

"If they had listened to them maybe it wouldn't be like this. There is a lot of injustice for them."

She says she will not rest until a fifth woman from the unit taken hostage who remains in Gaza, Agam Berger, is returned to Israel.

In total, seven observers were taken hostage from Nahal Oz - one was killed and another rescued.

Merav holds a photo of Shahaf Nissani, who was among those in the unit killed on 7 October

Merav wears a T-shirt saying: "We do not close our eyes until everyone is home", a nod to the observers' nickname of being Israel's eyes.

Image source, Reuters

We're now getting reports from Hamas-run media outlet Filastin and AFP that the release of Palestinian detainees from two Israeli prisons is underway.

AFP says buses carrying Palestinian detainees have left the West Bank-based prison of Ofer and the Ktziot prison in the Negev desert.

Footage shows a few coach buses with Red Cross driving away. We have not yet officially heard from Israel about the release.

We're monitoring for any new developments about the up to 200 Palestinians that are anticipated to leave prison today.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the return of four female Israeli soldiers and pledged to work on the return of all hostages held by Hamas.

In a post on X, Netanyahu addresses the four women released today - Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Naama Levy and Karina Ariev - and says "welcome home".

"Together with the entire people of Israel, my wife and I embrace you with all our hearts! We will continue to work to return all of our abductees home - both the living and the dead."

Israel's President Isaac Herzog echoes those sentiments in a post on X.

"We watched you smile, and we wept. An entire nation weeps and rejoices with you at this moment," he writes.

Herzog adds Israel remains focused on the return of the other hostages: "We will not rest until we bring back all our sisters and brothers from the hell of captivity in Gaza - the living to their loving families, and the fallen and murdered to be laid to rest in dignity."

Alice Cuddy
Reporting from Tel Aviv

The four young women returning to Israel today were part of an unarmed military unit called the tatzpitaniyot whose job was to observe Gaza from a base on the border.

Many of the women in the unit serving at the base that day were killed. Their families say they had been warning that an attack was coming.

The uncle of Roni Eshel, who was killed on 7 October and was friends with and served alongside the hostages released today, tells me it is a "very emotional day" for his family.

"We are very happy to see Karina, Daniella, Liri and Naama coming back home to their families. At the same time, we remember that there are 90 hostages still in Gaza. And for us, we remember Roni who will never come back home," Elad Levy says.