Israel Says the First 3 Hostages to Be Freed From Gaza Are With the Red Cross as Ceasefire Underway

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On Sunday, just hours following the implementation of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, it was declared that the initial three hostages held in Gaza were being moved to the Red Cross and were headed towards Israeli troops for release.

Live footage broadcasted on Qatar-based Al Jazeera, captured by Israeli media, depicted hostages walking amidst a throng of vehicles in Gaza City. The crowd was vast, with numerous individuals recording the scene on their phones and many others donning green Hamas headbands. Armed men, attempting to maintain order among the unruly mass that swelled into thousands, accompanied the vehicles.

The original footage from Al Jazeera in Qatar was aired by Israeli media, showing hostages walking between cars as they traveled through Gaza City. The crowd surrounding them was large, filled with people using their phones to record and others wearing green Hamas headbands. Guards, who were armed, accompanied the vehicles and struggled to control the unruly mass that grew into thousands.)

Simultaneously in Tel Aviv, crowds of people assembled to witness the news on big screens burst into applause. For quite some time, numerous individuals had been congregating in the square, calling for a truce agreement.

The agreement brings about a preliminary six-week period of tranquility, fostering optimism for the liberation of numerous hostages held by militants and the conclusion of the 15-month long war. A last-minute halt by Hamas postponed the commencement of the truce by almost three hours, demonstrating its delicate nature.

Before the truce was implemented, festivities broke out throughout the region as some Palestinians started going back to their homes. Earlier, Israel had disclosed the identities of the initial three hostages who would be set free in return for the proposed release of approximately 90 Palestinian detainees.

11:15 a.m. local time marks the beginning of the truce, serving as an initial move towards resolving the ongoing conflict and eventually securing the release of nearly 100 hostages who were kidnapped during Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023.

It has been confirmed that Romi Gonen (age 24), Emily Damari (age 28), and Doron Steinbrecher (age 31) will be released later on Sunday. Gonen was taken during the Nova music festival, while the others were abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. It’s worth noting that Emily Damari holds both Israeli and British citizenship.

An anonymous source, in accordance with the rules, confirmed that the families agreed to the release of their names for public disclosure.

From 8:30 a.m. until the ceasefire was enforced, Israeli gunfire resulted in the death of at least 26 individuals, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry. They did not specify whether these individuals were civilians or combatants. The military has advised people to keep their distance from Israeli troops as they move back towards a safety zone within Gaza.

In response to the ceasefire agreement, Israel’s tough-on-security minister from the Jewish Power faction, Itamar Ben-Gvir, announced his resignation from the government in protest. This move weakens Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, but it does not impact the ongoing truce.

In an independent turn of events, it was disclosed that Israel successfully retrieved the remains of Oron Shaul, a solider who perished during the 2014 Israel-Hamas conflict, through a clandestine operation in Gaza. The corpses of Shaul and another soldier, Hadar Goldin, were left behind after the 2014 war and had not been recovered until now.

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2025-01-19 18:54