3 Israeli hostages released by Hamas
Three Israeli hostages were released to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday following a ceasefire deal between Israel and the militant group Hamas.
The three freed hostages, Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, were released by Hamas to the IDF on Sunday, the military announced on the social platform X. The trio entered Israeli territory soon after, where they received medical treatment and evaluation.
Israel is expected to release around 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday through a deal announced by President Biden earlier this week.
The freed hostages were reportedly in good health, according to the Red Cross, who helped facilitate the exchange, according to the IDF.
In October 2023, Romi Gonen, 24, was kidnapped from the Nova music festival, and Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
Their release comes amid the ceasefire in Gaza, which took effect early Sunday. It is the first step in ultimately ending the conflict and returning nearly 100 hostages abducted in Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
President Biden said in remarks following the announcement of the hostage release that "after so much pain, destruction and loss of life, today the guns in Gaza have gone silent."
He also praised the three freed hostages who were "held against their will in the dark tunnels for 470 days" and confirmed that four more women will be released in the coming days.
"Today's ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages is a result of a principled and effective policy that we presided over for months," Biden said. "And we got here without a wider war in the Middle East that many predicted. And now it falls to the next administration to help implement this deal."
Updated at 12:13 p.m. EDT
The Associated Press contributed.
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Who are the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas?
Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari have been freed 471 days after being taken hostage.BBC News - 18m -
Three Israeli hostages freed by Hamas as ceasefire begins
Truce could end the bloodiest war of the Israel-Palestinian conflictFinancial Times - 1h -
Who Are the Three Israeli Hostages Released by Hamas?
In Tel Aviv, people gathered at a plaza dubbed Hostage Square holding pictures of the women as they waited for word of their release.The Wall Street Journal - 3h -
Hamas releases first Israeli hostages after Gaza ceasefire takes effect
Yahoo News - 3h -
Israel and Hamas ceasefire deal takes effect as first 3 hostages are released
The first three hostages were released Sunday after the ceasefire officially began. A total of 33 hostages will be released in the first phase of the deal.CBS News - 4h -
Israeli PM office denies reports that Hamas forwarded list of hostages to release in event of deal
Yahoo News - Jan. 5 -
Hamas releases video of Israeli hostage Liri Albag as ceasefire talks resume
It comes as Israel intensified strikes on Gaza, killing 88 people over the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run health ministry says.BBC News - Jan. 5 -
Hamas releases video it says is of Israeli hostage held in Gaza since 2023 attack
Family of now 19-year-old conscript Liri Albag appeals to PM to ‘take decisions as if it were your own children there’. The armed wing of Hamas has released a video it says is of an Israeli hostage ...The Guardian - Jan. 4 -
Hamas Releases Video of Teenage Israeli Soldier Held Hostage in Gaza
Liri Albag, 19, is one of about 100 hostages believed to remain held in the enclave nearly 15 months after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel.The New York Times - Jan. 4
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