TEL AVIV — Three hostages, including one who survived the brutal massacre at the Nova music festival during the October 7 terrorist attack, have been released after Israel’s ceasefire agreement took effect and Hamas, after hours of uncertainty.
Romi Gonen, 23, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 30, were handed over to the Israel Defense Forces by the Red Cross on Sunday after 471 days in captivity.
Earlier, Hamas terrorists transferred the women to the aid group’s trucks during a chaotic scene in Gaza.
In In Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, hundreds of Israelis sobbed and clapped in support of the women’s families at a rally organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
“Romi is coming back!” Emilie is back! Doron returns! you could hear the crowd singing.
Clay Richmond, a Texas volunteer for the Jewish National Fund, told the Post that everyone was elated at the news and overwhelmed with emotion as the 42-day ceasefire and hostage exchange brings peace hope for lasting peace in this war-torn region.
“It’s very emotional to be here and see people excited about the release of more hostages,” Richmond said. “I am moved by the perseverance and love for each other, and the hope and release of all the hostages”
“I see hope for peace,” he added.
Hany Nachmany, a teacher who taught in Romi 10 years ago, echoed the feeling of jubilation in the air when news of the IDF’s successful arrest of the hostages broke.
“I’m very excited. I’m sure she will recover and be fine,” Nachmany said, carrying Romi’s missing poster.
There are still 57 hostages alive in Gaza; Thirty other hostages, including two Americans, are expected to be released during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.
In exchange for the release of the three hostages, which was delayed by almost eight hours, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners, including women and minors, from Israeli prisons.
Gonen, 23, was shot in the arm and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists during the Nova music festival, where the terrorist group massacred 364 people.
Her family, who pleaded for her release, described her as “one of the funniest girls I know”, beloved by her friends and customers at the upscale Tel Aviv restaurant where she waitresses.
Damari, who has dual British nationality, and Steinbrecher were both kidnapped from their homes on Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Damari is the only British hostage still in captivity.
New President Donald Trump, who took credit for the hostage deal, celebrated news of the women’s planned release on Sunday.
Here’s how the three proposed phases would work, according to a current draft obtained by the media:
Phase 1
- The first phase will end fighting for 42 days and 33 Israeli hostages will be gradually released from captivity in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
- There are 97 hostages – civilians and military – in captivity, but only 60 are believed to be alive.
- On the first day of the ceasefire, now set for Sunday, Hamas will release three hostages, then four more on the seventh day. After that, there will be weekly outings during the initial six-week period.
- Israel will let go 30 imprisoned Palestinian women, children and elderly people in exchange for every civilian hostage released from Gaza. For every female Israeli soldier released, the Jewish state will release 50 Palestinian prisoners, 30 of whom face life imprisonment.
- For the bodies returned to Israel, all Palestinian women and children detained in Gaza by Israel since the start of the war on October 7, 2023 will be released. Meanwhile, Israeli forces will withdraw to a buffer zone in Gaza and near the Israeli border, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in Gaza City and northern Gaza.
- Around 600 humanitarian aid trucks will flow into Gaza daily during the ceasefire, including 50 carrying fuel.
- Negotiations on the second phase of the agreement will begin on the 16th day of the first phase.
Phase 2
- If Israel and Hamas reach a new agreement, all remaining hostages are supposed to be released and, in exchange, Israel will completely withdraw from Gaza during this phase.
- Reaching that next step could prove difficult, as Israel has said it will not give in to a full withdrawal until the terrorist organization’s military and political power is wiped out.
- Hamas said it would not release the remaining hostages until all Israeli troops had left. Hamas must agree to step down from power – something it has indicated it is willing to do – but it could still be a factor in the formation of a future government, something Israel does not want.
- While the draft agreement states that a second phase agreement must be reached by the end of the first phase, Hamas has requested written guarantees that the temporary peace could continue until a deal is reached. is concluded. The terror group said it would respect verbal assurances from the United States, Egypt and Qatar. But Israel has not accepted this and airstrikes may resume.
Phase 3
- The third – and final phase – would involve Hamas exchanging the bodies of the rest of the remaining hostages in Gaza in exchange for a 3-5 year reconstruction plan in the decimated Palestinian territory under international supervision.
“The hostages are starting to come out today!” Three wonderful young women will be first,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Like the hostages released since the October 7 terrorist attack, Gonen, Damari and Steinbrecher will undergo a medical evaluation to assess their condition after 15 months of captivity.
After medical treatment, the women will reunite with their families and stay in an IDF-designed reception area to conduct a series of briefings about their time in Gaza.
The three women are the first hostages released under a groundbreaking ceasefire deal that remained uncertain until the moments before their release.
Other hostages expected to be released are:
- Arbel Yehud, 29 years old
- Ariel Bibas, 5 years old
- Kfir Bibas, 2
- Shiri Silberman Bibas, 33 years old
- Liri Albag, 19 years old
- Karina Ariev, 20 years old
- Agam Berger, 21 years old
- Danielle Gilboa, 20 years old
- Naama Lévy, 20 years old
- Ohad Ben-Ami, 58 years old
- Gadi Moshe Moses, 80 years old
- Keith Siegel, 65
- Ofer Calderon, 54 years old
- Eli Sharabi, 52 years old
- Itzik Elgarat, 70 years old
- Shlomo Mansour, 86 years old
- Ohad Yahalomi, 50 years old
- Oded Lifshitz, 84 years old
- Tsahi Idan, 50 years old
- Hisham al-Sayed, 36 years old
- Yarden Bibas, 35 years old
- Sagui Dékel-Chen, 36 years old
- Yair Corne, 46 years old
- Omer Wenkert, 23 years old
- Sasha Trufanov, 28 years old
- Eliya Cohen, 27 years old
- Or Lévy, 34 years old
- Avera Mengistu, 38 years old
- Tal Shoham, 39 years old
- Omer Shem-Tov, 22 years old
