Abducted for 470 days

Hamas releases these women today

Three young women are to return home after 15 months in the hands of Hamas.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/AFP/AHMAD GHARABLI, APA/POOL/Dan Kitwood, APA/Ahmad GHARABLI)

After hours of trepidation as to whether the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas would work and thus also the release of the first three hostages on Sunday, it has been decided who will be freed from the terror militia's captivity. They are Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher, who were kidnapped during the major attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The ceasefire should have come into force at 7.20 a.m. (CET). However, as the terrorist militia did not provide a list of the hostages to be released in advance, as agreed, the deal was in danger of collapsing. Israel announced that it would continue its attacks in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire only officially began almost three hours later. Hamas explained the delay in sending the list with "technical reasons".

First step in the first phase of the agreement
The first three hostages are due to be released from Hamas control at 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. This marks the implementation of the first phase of the deal, with 30 more abducted people to return to their homes over the next six weeks. 

Women abducted from festivals and homes
The first hostages to be reunited with their relatives after 470 days in captivity in the Gaza Strip are three young women: 24-year-old Romi Gonen was kidnapped during the October 7 massacre at the Nova Festival. Veterinary assistant Doron Steinbrecher (31) was abducted from her apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Azza. 28-year-old Emily Damari (28) was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

1904 Palestinians are released
The terrorists are still holding 98 hostages. During the six-week ceasefire, 33 of them are to be released. In return, 1904 Palestinians are to be released from Israeli prisons and camps. Among them are 1167 arrested residents of the Gaza Strip who are said to have no connection to the major attack on October 7. The other Palestinians to be released are prisoners detained for minor offenses such as throwing stones in the West Bank or illegally crossing the border. 

Agreement also provides for reconstruction
The second phase of the deal provides for a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip from mid-March - in return, the remaining hostages are to be released. In the final phase, which is to last up to five years, reconstruction is to take place in the Gaza Strip. The remains of hostages who have been killed will then also be returned to their home country.