By Isabel Kershner, Hiba Yazbek, Aaron Boxerman and Bilal Shbair
On Sunday, the Israeli military announced the release of three Israeli women from captivity in the Gaza Strip, marking a reunion with their families in Israel as the long-awaited ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect. The ceasefire sparked celebrations in Gaza, offered relief to families of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, and generated hope for an end to a devastating 15-month conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the freed hostages as Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher. They were taken captive during the Hamas-led assaults in Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the war. Israel is anticipated to release 90 Palestinian prisoners, all women or minors, later that day in exchange for the hostages.
In footage shared by the Israeli military, the freed hostages are observed exiting a vehicle and walking independently as they are transferred from the Red Cross to Israeli soldiers. One of the hostages, Emily Damari, has her left hand bandaged, and in a photo later shared online by the military, it appears she has lost two fingers from that hand.
As the ceasefire commenced Sunday morning, jubilant Palestinians honked their car horns and played music in central Gaza’s Deir al Balah, where celebratory gunfire erupted and children played in the streets.
Meanwhile, as Israeli officials announced the withdrawal of their troops from portions of Gaza, including two towns north of Gaza City, Hamas attempted to convey its continued presence and intention to reestablish control, with masked gunmen patrolling the streets in various cities. The police force affiliated with Hamas in Gaza, which had largely faded from view to evade Israeli strikes, stated that it was deploying personnel throughout the territory to “maintain security and order,” according to the government media office.
Reaching the agreement on a complex, multi-stage ceasefire necessitated months of negotiations facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The initiation of the initial six-week phase on Sunday was postponed by nearly three hours, with Israel indicating that it had yet to formally receive the names of the first three hostages slated for release. During the delay, the Israeli military continued its operations against targets in Gaza.
Here’s our coverage:
— Hostage and prisoner releases: Both Israel and Hamas have consented to a 42-day truce, during which Hamas is poised to gradually release 33 of the roughly 100 hostages it still retains, some of whom are thought to be deceased. In return, Israel is expected to commence the release of over 1,000 Palestinian inmates held in Israeli prisons.
— Gaza’s devastation: The commencement of the ceasefire capped a 470-day conflict resulting in more than 46,000 Palestinian deaths and over 110,000 injuries, as reported by the Gaza health ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. A significant portion of Gaza has been ravaged, and a majority of its approximately 2 million inhabitants have experienced displacement at least once due to the war, which started after Hamas’s incursion into southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 250 kidnappings.
— Humanitarian assistance: Trucks carrying humanitarian resources from the United Nations commenced their entry into Gaza just 15 minutes after the ceasefire began, as stated by Jonathan Whittall, the head of the U.N. humanitarian office for Palestinian territories. The ceasefire agreement specifies that 600 trucks will be permitted to deliver aid to Gazans daily, though the method of distribution remains unclear.
— Upcoming phases: Significant diplomatic challenges are anticipated. The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was achieved in part by postponing their most challenging disagreements until an ambiguous “second phase” that neither party is certain will materialize.
