In the first phase of the cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel, three female hostages have been freed and reunited with their families. The hostages were taken in the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with about 100 more thought to still be held in Gaza. Thirty-three hostages, including women, children, men over 50, and sick and wounded individuals, will be released as part of the initial phase of the agreement.
Video footage released by the Israeli military showed the emotional reunions of the three hostages with their loved ones at Sheba Hospital in Israel. Romi Gonen, one of the returned hostages, was captured as she was trying to leave a music festival in southern Israel and had been speaking to her mother on the phone when she was shot and taken. Another released hostage, Doron Steinbrecher, a veterinary nurse with Romanian and Israeli citizenship, was also reunited with her family.
One of the hostages still being held, Emily Damari, has British citizenship and was taken from her home in southern Israel. Her mother has been pleading for her release and thanked everyone for their support. Another captive, Dafna Elyakim, who was released previously, shared that they had been taken into Hamas’s underground tunnels along with Ms. Damari.
The families of the released hostages expressed gratitude for the support and involvement of various parties, including President Donald Trump. The cease-fire agreement aims to see the safe return of all hostages held in Gaza.
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