Hamas palms over three Israeli ladies hostages as Gaza truce begins

The primary three Israeli hostages had been launched Sunday below a long-awaited Gaza truce aimed toward ending greater than 15 months of struggle that has ravaged the Palestinian territory.

Because the ceasefire took impact within the morning, hundreds of displaced, war-weary Palestinians set off throughout the devastated Gaza Strip to return residence.

Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari have been held in Gaza since they had been kidnapped from Israel on October 7, 2023.

The Prime Minister’s Workplace confirms that Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, are within the palms of Israeli forces.

“The federal government of Israel embraces the three returnees,” the PMO says in an announcement, including that their households have been informed that they’re in Israeli palms. “The federal government of Israel is dedicated to returning all the hostages and the lacking.”

The Authorities of Israel embraces the three ladies who’ve returned.

Their households have been up to date by the related authorities that they’re with our forces.

The Authorities of Israel is dedicated to returning all the hostages and lacking.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 19, 2025

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, in a press convention, says former hostages Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher “are actually in secure palms.”

“They’re in our palms. They’re coming residence,” he says.

🟡 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: The three launched hostages are at present being transferred to IDF and ISA forces in Gaza.

They’re accompanied by IDF and ISA particular forces upon their return to Israeli territory, the place they’ll endure an preliminary medical evaluation.

— Israel Protection Forces (@IDF) January 19, 2025

Israeli hostages launched from Gaza attain hospital

The three Israeli hostages launched from Gaza on Sunday arrived at Sheba hospital in central Israel, an AFP journalist reported.

Travelling in navy helicopters and accompanied by their moms, the three ladies, Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher, landed on the hospital, the place the military stated the remainder of their members of the family awaited them.

Gaza hostages reunited with their moms

The Israeli navy stated the three ladies hostages freed by Hamas on Sunday as a part of a Gaza ceasefire deal had been reunited with their moms inside Israel.

“The three returnees have simply arrived on the preliminary reception level within the Gaza envelope space, and they’re now assembly with their moms,” stated the navy, which shared a picture of launched hostage Emily Damari alongside her mom smiling and waving with a closely bandaged hand.

First images from the emotional conferences between the returnees and their households on the reception factors in Israel. pic.twitter.com/98MPwh0zNX

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 19, 2025

Cheers and weeping as Israelis watch Gaza hostages return

Lots of of individuals have gathered in Tel Aviv in what has been known as “Hostages Sq.” to observe the information on massive screens. For months, hundreds of Israelis have gathered weekly on the sq. to demand a deal to deliver everybody residence.

The Israeli navy shared video exhibiting their households gathered in what gave the impression to be a navy facility crying out in emotion as they watched footage of the handover to Israeli forces in Gaza earlier than they had been introduced again into Israel.

“Their return as we speak represents a beacon of sunshine within the darkness, a second of hope and triumph of the human spirit,” the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board, a gaggle that represents some hostage households stated.

Palestinian prisoners set for launch embody 69 ladies

In the meantime, the 90 Palestinian prisoners set to be launched Sunday in alternate for 3 hostages held by Hamas embody 69 ladies, in keeping with a listing offered to The Related Press.

The youngest is Mahmoud Aliowat, 15.

The prisoners to be launched embody Khalida Jarrar, 62, a number one member of the In style Entrance for the Liberation of Palestine, a leftist faction with an armed group that has carried out assaults on Israelis. New York-based Human Rights Watch stated her repeated arrests are a part of Israel’s wider crackdown on non-violent political opposition.

Dalal Khaseeb, 53, the sister of former Hamas second-in-command Saleh Arouri, can be on the record, which was offered by Hamas. Arouri was killed in an Israeli strike in a southern Beirut suburb in January 2024.

Additionally listed for launch is Abla Abdelrasoul, 68, the spouse of detained PFLP chief Ahmad Saadat who killed an Israeli Cupboard minister in 2001 and has been serving a 30-year sentence.