After fifteen months of war in the Gaza Strip, the ceasefire comes into force this Sunday, January 19. Hamas has released the names of three Israeli hostages to be released today.
Families who are impatient. The armed wing of Hamas published on Sunday a list of three Israeli hostages which it said should be released during the day as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Islamist movement.
“The al-Qassam Brigades have decided to release today, Sunday January 19, 2025, the following Israeli prisoners,” Hamas indicated, publishing the names of three young women. The entry into force of the truce had been delayed, Israel demanding to receive this list before implementing the agreement.
The liberal hostages are Doron Steinbrecher, Emily Damari and Romi Gonen. Respectively aged 31, 28 and 24, the three young women were kidnapped on October 7, 2023 during the Hamas attack on the Supernova electronic music festival, in Réïm and in the Kibbutz Kfar Aza located nearly 15 kilometers to the north of the festival.
Doron Steinbrecher
Aged 30 at the time, Doron was at home in Kfar Aza when Hamas terrorists attacked the kibbutz, killing more than 100 civilians according to the Israeli military and kidnapping the young woman.
A veterinary nurse, she lived in an area of Kfar Aza reserved for young single people, the Times of Israel reported. His sister, Amit Ashkenazi, with her children on the day of the tragedy, was in contact with Doron, their parents were also at home in the kibbutz.
While she was terrified, Doron sent a final voice message to her family in which she said she had been kidnapped. A week later, an official message informed her loved ones that she had disappeared.
-Emily DamarI
Emily Damari, 28, was also taken hostage in Kfar Aza. The young woman, who holds dual British and Israeli nationality, also lived in the area reserved for young people on the kibbutz.
It was around 10 a.m. that Emily no longer gave any sign of life. Her friend, Bar Kislev – a survivor of the attack – said she was kidnapped with twins Gali and Ziv Berman.
Romi Gonen
For her part, Romi Gonen, a 24-year-old former scout advisor, was captured by Hamas during the Supernova electronic music festival where 364 people lost their lives.
As reported by the Times of Israel, the young woman was on the phone with her mother on the day of her kidnapping. In the car with friends, she then told him she had been shot. “They shot me, mom, I’m bleeding,” Romi told her mother. “Everyone is bleeding in the car,” she added.
Later in the media, Meirav Gonen described his daughter as “a strong, happy personality”, and independent, and that she often liked to go to rave parties.
