Three Israeli hostages, held by Hamas for 15 months, have been released and are now safely back in Israeli territory, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
The hostages—31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher, dual British-Israeli national Emily Damari, 28, and 24-year-old Romi Gonen—were handed over to Red Cross representatives in Gaza City before being transferred to Israeli military personnel.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari confirmed the women’s return during a press briefing, saying, “They are in our hands. They are coming home.” He added that the former hostages were being taken to a facility near the border for an initial medical assessment before heading to a hospital.
The release coincided with the implementation of a long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza, which had been delayed by last-minute negotiations. Despite the delay, during which Israel continued airstrikes that reportedly killed 19 people, displaced Palestinians began returning to areas they had fled.
In a statement, the Israeli government officially confirmed the names of the three hostages and extended its support to their families. “The Israeli government embraces the three returnees. Their families have been informed by the relevant authorities,” the statement read. “The government, together with all security agencies, will accompany them and their families.”
The IDF shared a video showing the emotional reunion between the hostages and their mothers, who had been brought to the Re’im military base near the Gaza Strip to await their daughters’ return. The IDF also posted on social media: “The three returnees are now being escorted by an elite IDF unit and Shin Bet security force on their way back to Israel, where they will undergo an initial medical evaluation. IDF commanders and soldiers salute and embrace the returnees.”
Hamas has stated that for every hostage released, Israel is to free 30 Palestinian prisoners. The group’s attack on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 individuals taken hostage, sparked Israel’s large-scale offensive on Gaza. The conflict has since claimed over 46,900 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Boluwatife Enome
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