Three Israeli hostages 'on their way home,' Palestinian prisoners await release

The Israeli military said that the three released hostages had crossed into Israeli territory accompanied by its troops.

"The released hostages are currently on their way to an initial reception point in southern Israel, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment," the military said.

They will remain there for at least four days for psychological and medical evaluations after being reunited with their families.

The Israeli prison services, as well as Israeli forces, have said that they have been preparing for this all week.

Hamas officials handed over the three Israeli women hostages to the Red Cross as part of a ceasefire agreement with Israel. 

The transfer took place at Al-Saraya Square in Gaza City's Al-Rimal neighborhood, after a Red Cross representative ensured the hostages' well-being. 

'On their way home'

Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement that the hostages were "in our hands and on their way home."

"Our hearts are now with all the hostages still being held in inhuman conditions, and we are awaiting their return. Emily, Doron and Romi are back home," a post from the captives' families' group on X read.

The group, the Families Headquarters for the Return of the Abducted and Missing, is referring to Emily Damari, 27, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Romi Gonen, 23, who have spent the duration of the war held by Hamas.

"Their return today symbolizes a moment of light in the darkness, a moment of hope and the triumph of the spirit. For the families and for all of us, it is a moment that will not be forgotten," the statement added.

"Their return reminds us of the heavy responsibility to continue working for the release of all until the last of the abductees is returned home."

In Tel Aviv, hundreds of Israelis in a square outside the defense headquarters watched the hostage release on a giant screen. The crowd cheered, embraced and wept as three female hostages could be seen exiting a vehicle in Gaza surrounded by armed Hamas fighters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the three hostages had endured a horrific ordeal.

"I know, we all know, they have been through hell. They are emerging from darkness into light, from bondage to freedom," Netanyahu said during a phone call with an Israeli official who was briefing him on the release of the three female hostages.

A total of 33 Israeli hostages, 31 of whom taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, will be returned from Gaza during an initial 42-day truce, in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians in Israeli custody.

"Relieved to finally see the first hostages being liberated and humanitarian aid entering as the ceasefire takes effect in Gaza," Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, posted on X.

Who are the freed hostages?

So, who are these three women hostages who were held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip for more than 15 months?

Romi Gonen, 24, from northern Israel, was among dozens captured when Hamas fighters ambushed the Supernova rave festival and killed 364 people on October 7, 2023.

During the attack, from which she attempted to flee by car, Gonen phoned her mother Merav Leshem Gonen. The car was later found empty and Romi's phone was traced to Gaza.

A talented dancer and choreographer, she suffered hand injuries, according to her mother who said she received the information from freed hostages.

Emily Damari, 28, whose father is Israeli, was born in Israel after her British mother, Mandy, moved there. She grew up in Kfar Aza, a kibbutz community near Israel's southern border with Gaza.

Damari was at home when Hamas gunmen stormed her house, injuring her hands and legs in the process. Damari is a fan of pop superstar Ed Sheeran and Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur, whose fans have often chanted her name during matches while she was in captivity.

Doron Steinbrecher, is a 31-year-old veterinary nurse who was also kidnapped from Kfar Aza.

On the day of the attack, Steinbrecher left a message for her parents telling them she had been abducted. An Israeli-Romanian dual national, she appeared with two other hostages in a video released by Hamas in January, 2024.

Palestinian prisoners to be released

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera media network has received the list of 90 Palestinian prisoners to be released under the exchange deal that will see the release of three female Israeli civilian captives.

The network reported the Red Cross delegation that entered Ofer Prison was verifying the identity of Palestinian prisoners set to be released as part of the ceasefire agreement.

The list includes the name of Khalida Jarrar, a leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the occupied West Bank. Others on the list include at least 12 young Palestinian men, some of them under 19 years of age, and minors.

According to initial information, all the Palestinian prisoners that are due to be released are from the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. The list includes 69 women and 21 children.

According to Al Jazeera, many children and minors had been arrested for charges related to throwing rocks at Israeli forces.