Clutching Hamas-branded gift bags and wearing military fatigues, the four Israeli hostages handed over by Hamas on Saturday to the Red Cross waved and gave thumbs up as they were paraded on stage before dozens of militants and a huge crowd.

Hundreds of Gaza residents who gathered to watch the scene responded with cheers, whistles and shouts before the women were escorted off stage and into the hands of the Red Cross, an AFP reporter said.

In contrast to chaotic scenes the week before, when crowds threatened to overwhelm vehicles holding the three hostages released at the time, hundreds of the militants arrived before the handover and quickly established a cordon keeping the crowd well away from the slick handover proceedings.

Masked, armed Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants had arrived at Palestine Square in SUVs and on motorcycles with sirens blaring shortly before 9:30 AM (0730........

© Al Monitor