Three hostages have been freed within the first section of the cease-fire settlement between Hamas and Israel.
The hostages, all girls, have been launched into Crimson Cross custody in Gaza on Sunday and have been transferred to Israeli forces, who took them to fulfill their moms, the Israeli navy mentioned.
About 100 hostages, residing and lifeless, are thought nonetheless to be held in Gaza, most of them taken within the lethal Hamas-led assaults on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Thirty-three of them will probably be launched throughout an preliminary six-week section of the cease-fire, together with feminine troopers and civilians, kids, males over 50 and sick and wounded individuals, in keeping with the settlement.
“The overwhelming majority” of the 33 hostages to be launched within the six-week first section of the cease-fire are alive, an Israeli navy spokesman, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, mentioned Sunday in a dialogue on social media.
Video launched by the Israeli navy showed the three hostages being reunited with their households at Sheba Hospital in Israel.
In a single clip, one of many returned hostages, Romi Gonen, is surrounded in an embrace by members of her household as they tearfully consolation each other. Yarden Gonen, her sister, who had traveled around the globe previously yr to foyer for Romi’s launch, jumps up and down within the video because the household hugs. In one other clip, one other launched hostage, Doron Steinbrecher, tearfully embraces family members.
Romi Gonen
Ms. Gonen was 23 when she was captured as she was making an attempt to depart the Nova music festival in southern Israel when Hamas attacked. She was talking on the time to her mom, Meirav Gonen, who mentioned she had been shot and was bleeding.
Final February, Meirav Gonen launched a recording of her last phone call together with her daughter. She informed the Israeli information media that Romi was a robust and glad one who usually went to raves.
Within the early weeks of the struggle, her mom expressed concern that Israeli navy operations in Gaza might endanger the hostages.
Romi Gonen’s older sister, Yarden, told The New York Times in February that she recurrently went to a plaza in Tel Aviv the place households of hostages have held vigils.
“None of us is doing something remotely associated to our earlier lives,” she mentioned.
Emily Damari
Ms. Damari, 27 on the time she was captured, is the one hostage with British citizenship who was nonetheless being held this month. She was taken from her dwelling in Kibbutz Kfar Azza in southern Israel and was seen by a neighbor in her own car, pushed by a militant, heading towards Gaza.
Ms. Damari was raised in Israel however traveled to Britain usually, in keeping with her mom, British-born Mandy Damari, who was in Israel final month to talk with officers and the information media and to plead for a hostage and cease-fire deal. She mentioned that her daughter had been shot and that she feared for her life, telling the BBC that she had welcomed the threats from President-elect Donald J. Trump that there could be “all hell to pay” if no deal was reached by his inauguration.
Final January, a hostage who had been launched from Gaza, Dafna Elyakim, informed the Israeli information media that she and her youthful sister had been taken into Hamas’s underground tunnels, the place they met different feminine hostages, together with Ms. Damari.
On the eve of the primary anniversary of the Oct. 7 assaults, Mandy Damari spoke at an event in Hyde Park in London, the place she described her daughter as a soccer fan who loved a drink and had “the traditional British humorousness, with a touch of Israeli chutzpah thrown in for good measure.”
On Sunday, Mandy Damari thanked “everybody who by no means stopped preventing for Emily all through this horrendous ordeal.” However, she mentioned in a press release, “for too many different households the unattainable wait continues.”
The Israeli navy additionally launched an image of Emily Damari and her mom that confirmed her lacking two fingers on her left hand. Ms. Damari was shot within the hand on Oct. 7, 2023.
Doron Steinbrecher
Ms. Steinbrecher, who was 30 when she was captured from her dwelling in Kibbutz Kfar Azza, is a veterinary nurse with Romanian and Israeli citizenship. In line with Israeli news media, she was in contact together with her household on the kibbutz when the militants attacked, telling her dad and mom that they’d smashed her home windows and shot into her room.
“They’ve arrived, they’ve me,” she mentioned in a subsequent voice message despatched to buddies.
Final January, Hamas launched a video clip of Ms. Steinbrecher and two different captives, Daniella Gilboa and Karina Ariev, wherein they pleaded for his or her launch.
Final March, on her thirty first birthday, the Jewish News Syndicate revealed an interview together with her mom, Simona Steinbrecher, who mentioned that she had regarded pale and skinny within the video. She mentioned she was involved that Ms. Steinbrecher was not getting the day by day treatment she wanted, although she didn’t specify what that was.
“She’s a robust lady, but it surely’s horrible being there,” Simona Steinbrecher mentioned.
On Sunday, the household of Doron Steinbrecher issued a press release celebrating her launch that thanked the Israeli individuals and expressed gratitude to Mr. Trump “for his important involvement and assist, which meant a lot to us.” The assertion didn’t point out President Biden or any Israeli leaders.
