Photos: Release of Israeli hostages

Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip): The first three hostages released from Gaza have arrived in Israel, the military announced on Sunday, hours after the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold. Their mothers were waiting to meet them.

Footage showed the three women walking to Red Cross vehicles in , surrounded by a crowd that swelled into the thousands as people held up cellphones and scrambled onto cars.

The vehicles were accompanied by masked, armed men who wore green Hamas headbands and struggled to guard the handover.

Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were released. Gonen was abducted from the Nova music festival, while the others were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Damari is an Israeli-British dual citizen and Steinbrecher has and Romanian citizenship.

Also Read

In this photo released by the Israeli Army, Emily Damari, right, and her mother Mandy embrace near kibbutz Reim, southern Israel after Emily was released from captivity by Hamas militants in Gaza, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. AP/PTI Israelis celebrate the release of three hostages who had been held captive by Hamas in Gaza as they gather in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. AP/PTI

Romi Gonen, right, and her mother Merav hold each other near kibbutz Reim, southern Israel after Romi was released from captivity by Hamas militants in Gaza, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. AP/PTI Israelis celebrate the release of three hostages who had been held captive by Hamas in Gaza as they gather in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. AP/PTI

Get the latest updates in , , , , and on

& by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for and .