After 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip, Israel announced on Sunday the entry into force of the ceasefire with Hamas, with nearly three hours of delay linked to the publication by Hamas of the names of the hostages who left were released during the day.
The armed wing of Hamas published on Sunday a list of three Israeli hostages which it said should be released the same day as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Islamist movement. “The al-Qassam Brigades decided to release the following Israeli prisoners today, Sunday January 19, 2025:indicates the armed wing of Hamas by publishing the names of three young women kidnapped on October 7, 2023.
They are Romi Gonen (24 years old), Emily Damari (28 years old) and Doron Shatanbar Khir (31 years old). The Families Forum has confirmed the names of the three female hostages who will be released on Sunday. The entry into force of the truce, initially scheduled for 7:30 a.m. (Belgian time), was delayed, with Israel demanding to receive this list before implementing the agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, hostilities must cease and 33 Israeli hostages must be released in a first phase spread over six weeks. Two Franco-Israelis, Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Ohad Yahalomi, 50, are among them, according to Paris. In exchange, Israel must release 737 Palestinian prisoners, with Egypt reporting for its part “more than 1,890” of them to be released during the first phase.
Romi, a 24-year-old festival-goer, injured by bullets
Romi (sometimes spelled Romy) Gonen, was captured during the Nova Festival on October 7, 2023. According to the newspaper Le Soir, she had managed to telephone her mother when she tried to escape. She was injured then.They shot me mom”, she told him. His sister, Yarden, participated several times in conferences to try to obtain Romi’s release.
Emily Damari, 28, was also injured
Emily Damari was kidnapped after the attack on Kibbutz Kfar Azzar. She was also injured: a bullet in her hand and shrapnel in her legs. The young woman is Israeli-British. According to her mother, Mandy, Emily was taken blindfolded in her own car and driven to Gaza.
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Doron Steinbrecher, veterinary nurse, kidnapped from her home
Doron Steinbrecher was also kidnapped in the kibbutz of Kfar Azzar. According to her mother, she was hiding under her bed when Hamas captured her. “They took me, they took me”the hostage repeated to his mother by telephone, according to the latter’s testimony in the Financial Times. This hostage requires the administration of specific medical care. A few months ago, Hamas released a video of her speaking in front of a tunnel accompanied by other hostages.
We learned this Sunday around 3:30 p.m. that the three young women were released and received in good health, according to information from the Red Cross. A Hamas leader told AFP that the three Israeli hostages had been handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City. “The three hostages were officially handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Saraya Square, in the al-Rimal neighborhood in western Gaza City, after a member of the teams of the ICRC met them and checked on their condition.said this official.
The Israeli military announced Sunday afternoon that the three Israeli hostages had been transferred to the Red Cross and were on their way to Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip. “The Red Cross has communicated that the three Israeli hostages have been transferred to them and are on their way” towards Israel, according to a military statement.
The Israelis picked up Émilie, Doron and Romy at the border before heading towards the Réim military base, where their mother is waiting for them. The three women followed the thread of this crazy afternoon. The three girls arrived in police cars. The reunion takes place discreetly. After the first medical examinations, the ex-hostages will return to Tel Aviv by helicopter, where they will finally be able to reunite with all their loved ones.
First reactions
“Emily’s Gaza nightmare is over”said Sunday Mandy Damari, the mother of the Israeli-British hostage released with two other Israeli hostages on Sunday on the first day of the truce between Hamas and Israel. “After 471 days, Emilly finally returned”said Mandy Damari in a press release, adding however that“While Emily’s nightmare in Gaza is over, for too many other families, the impossible wait continues.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the three hostages released by Hamas as part of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip “have been through hell”according to a press release from his office. In a telephone interview with Gal Hirsh, head of the hostage file in his office, Mr. Netanyahu said that the three young women hadt “went through hell”adding that they were going out “from darkness to light, from slavery to freedom.”
Israeli army ‘fully prepared’
“We will not stop the war until everyone goes home”declares Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz during his visit to the hostage reception center in Re’im, in southern Israel. He also assures that the Israeli army is “fully prepared to receive” the three female hostages who will be released on the first day of ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Palestinian prisoners in exchange
In exchange for these three hostages, the Israeli Ministry of Justice confirmed that 90 Palestinian prisoners will be released today. A ratio of 30 prisoners released for each hostage. The release process will follow a very strict protocol with a special unit of the prison services which will escort the prisoners to the central assembly point at Ophere prison.
hamas Israel hostages October 7 ceasefire in Gaza
