No fewer than 90 Palestinian prisoners were freed shortly after Hamas released three Israel hostages on Sunday, marking the first day of a ceasefire that brought an end to a 15-month-long conflict, which severely impacted the Gaza Strip and heightened tensions throughout the Middle East.
The ceasefire, as noted by Reuters allowed Palestinians to return to their bombed neighborhoods and start rebuilding their lives, while relief trucks brought essential supplies. In other parts of Gaza, crowds celebrated as Hamas fighters emerged from hiding.
Fireworks filled the sky as buses carrying Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah, West Bank where thousands gathered to welcome them. Hamas freed detainees included 69 women and 21 teenage boys from the West Bank and Jerusalem.
In Tel Aviv, hundreds of Israelis gathered in a square near the defense headquarters, cheering and crying. A live broadcast from Gaza showed three female hostages boarding a Red Cross vehicle amidst Hamas fighters.
The Israeli military identified the freed hostages as Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. A video showed them appearing in good health, with Damari who had been injured during her abduction smiling and embracing her mother while showing a bandaged hand.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a phone conversation with a commander, said; “I would like you to tell them: Romi, Doron and Emily – an entire nation embraces you. Welcome home.”
At Sheba Medical Center, the hostages were reunited with their families, sharing tearful embraces. Damari, wrapped in an Israeli flag was smiling. These women were among over 250 people abducted during a Hamas raid on Israel on October 7, 2023, which also resulted in 1,200 deaths, according to Israeli reports.
Medical officials in Gaza report that over 47,000 Palestinians have died in Israeli attacks since the conflict began. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are now homeless, and around 400 Israeli soldiers have also lost their lives.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, fighting has halted, aid is being delivered to Gaza and 33 of the approximately 100 remaining Israeli and foreign hostages are expected to be released during the six-week first phase, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Many hostages are feared to have died.
