Adm. Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, derided the ceremony as “cynical.”
Hamas “presented a false show of taking care of the hostages, when in fact, it has cruelly held men and women for 477 days,” Adm. Hagari said.
Before the four hostages were released, Hamas held a signing ceremony on the stage, between one of its members and a representative of the Red Cross. The hostages were then driven by the Red Cross to Israeli troops stationed in the territory.
Two Israeli helicopters ferried the hostages to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, a city in central Israel, to the excited cheers of hundreds who gathered to welcome their arrival with Israeli flags.
“We wanted to show the hostages and their families how much we care for them,” said Helena Dabush, 42, who lives nearby and brought her four children along.
The released hostages were all teenagers and recent recruits into the military when they were abducted. Karina Ariev, now 20, is the daughter of immigrants from Ukraine; Daniella Gilboa, 20, is an aspiring concert pianist from central Israel; Naama Levy, 20, was a triathlete who grew up in a town north of Tel Aviv; and Liri Albag, 19, is an aspiring architect and interior designer.
