Emily Damari, a British-Israeli woman, is believed to be among the first hostages released by Hamas during a ceasefire.
Gaza: So, it looks like the first three hostages have been handed over to the Red Cross and are heading back to Israeli forces. This news came right after a ceasefire kicked in between Israel and Hamas.
One of those released is thought to be Emily Damari, a 28-year-old British-Israeli woman. Her mom, Mandy, shared that Emily was taken from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the attack on October 7. She was shot in the hand and forced into her car with two friends.
Along with Emily, two others are also set to be released today: Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31. They were also taken from their homes during the chaos.
Israeli forces confirmed they’ve received the three hostages, and the IDF expressed their support for the released individuals as they make their way home. It’s a big moment for everyone involved.
This deal marks the start of a six-week calm period, which raises hopes for more hostages to be released and an end to the ongoing conflict that’s been going on for 15 months.
There was a bit of a hiccup, though. Hamas delayed naming the three female hostages they planned to release, which pushed back the start of the truce by almost three hours. It just shows how delicate the situation is.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the ceasefire officially began at 11:15 AM local time, which was a bit later than expected.
This truce is just the first step toward ending the conflict and bringing back nearly 100 hostages taken during the October 7 attack.
Over the next 42 days, they expect to see 33 hostages returned from Gaza, along with hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released by Israel.
There’s also talk about Israeli forces pulling back into a buffer zone in Gaza, allowing many displaced Palestinians to return home. Plus, humanitarian aid is set to increase in the devastated area.
This ceasefire was brokered by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt after months of indirect talks. It’s the second truce in this tragic conflict, and fingers crossed it leads to something more lasting.
