Bittersweet rejoicing as first hostages return to Israel after 471 days in captivity

In the archetypal images of the three hostages Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari being released to the Israeli Defense Forces connected Sunday aft their agelong captivity by Hamas, their faces told a communicative of resilience. After spending 471 days arsenic prisoners, each 3 women were capable to locomotion unaided from Red Cross vehicles to waiting IDF officials, marking the archetypal measurement successful Israel's historical cease-fire and hostage speech statement with Hamas.

The instrumentality of the 3 women was celebrated crossed Israel. Mandy Damari, parent of British-Israeli Emily Damari, said successful a statement: "After 471 days Emily is yet home. I privation to convey everyone who ne'er stopped warring for Emily passim this horrendous ordeal, and who ne'er stopped saying her name. In Israel, Britain, the United States, and astir the world. Thank you for bringing Emily home. While Emily’s nightmare successful Gaza is over, for excessively galore different families the intolerable hold continues. Every past hostage indispensable beryllium released, and humanitarian assistance indispensable beryllium provided to the hostages who are inactive waiting to travel home."

In a unrecorded broadcast, Romi Gonen’s father, Eitan, recited the Jewish blessing "Shehecheyanu," expressing gratitude for his daughter’s harmless return. Meanwhile, her grandmother, Debora, voiced some alleviation and anguish: "I’ve waited for this day, this is the crushed I unrecorded for, to spot my granddaughter travel home. But my bosom is with the families inactive waiting. We indispensable bring them each home."

HAMAS RELEASES 3 HOSTAGES UNDER ISRAEL CEASE-FIRE DEAL

Former hostage British-Israeli Emily Damari and her parent Mandy clasp a video telephone with Emily's member Tom Damari and different loved ones, connected the time Emily was released from Gazan captivity successful a hostage-prisoner woody betwixt Hamas and Israel, successful a handout photograph connected Jan. 19, 2025. 

Ashley Waxman Bakshi, the relative of Agam Berger—a young worker inactive held captive—captured the mixed emotions of the day. "After enduring hell, we desperately needed a infinitesimal to respire and smile," Bakshi told Fox New Digital during a gathering successful Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, wherever thousands came unneurotic to witnesser the archetypal signifier of the deal. "But this is lone the beginning. We indispensable proceed until everyone is home."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who received real-time updates from IDF Coordinator Brigadier General (Res.) Gal Hirsch, described the infinitesimal arsenic profoundly emotional. "These 3 women person endured unimaginable darkness," Netanyahu said connected the telephone with Hirsch. "Today, they measurement into the light, escaped astatine last, acknowledgment to the heroic sacrifices of our soldiers. We volition not halt until each past hostage is returned."

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES WILL RECEIVE HOSTAGES SUNDAY WITH EQUIPPED CAMPER TRAILERS AND COMFORTING SUPPLIES

The 3 released Israeli hostages, Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher, who had been abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Palestinian militants, exit a van earlier boarding an Israeli Air Force subject transport chopper adjacent Re'im successful confederate Israel connected Jan. 19, 2025, aft a cease-fire and hostage-prisoner speech woody successful the warfare betwixt Israel and Hamas was implemented. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog welcomed the 3 women with a connection of hope: "Romi, Emily, and Doron—so beloved and missed—an full federation rejoices successful your return. This is simply a time of joyousness and comfort, and the opening of a challenging travel of betterment and healing together." Herzog besides acknowledged the symptom of families inactive waiting for quality of their loved ones, pledging that Israel would not remainder until each hostages were brought home.

The merchandise of the hostages comes arsenic portion of a U.S.-Qatar-Egypt-mediated deal, successful which Israel volition merchandise 90 Palestinian prisoners, immoderate convicted of murder. Critics fearfulness the imaginable information risks of releasing individuals progressive successful panic attacks that claimed Israeli lives. Defense Minister Israel Katz acknowledged these concerns, stating, "This is simply a infinitesimal of hope, but we indispensable stay vigilant. We volition not remainder until each hostages are returned, live oregon for burial."

President Joe Biden reiterated his administration’s committedness to supporting Israel and ensuring the deal’s success, portion acknowledging its complexity. "This woody indispensable beryllium seen done to its end. It falls to the adjacent medication to proceed this work, but contiguous is simply a measurement forward."

WHAT TO EXPECT AS ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE GOES INTO EFFECT ON SUNDAY

The deal, portion sparking hope, besides fuels anxiousness astir its durability and consequences. Critics question whether Hamas volition honor the presumption of the multi-phase statement and explicit fears implicit the merchandise of unsafe prisoners perchance reigniting violence.

Photos from the IDF’s preparations astatine the assorted sites and successful the hospitals wherever the hostages volition arrive (IDF)

The archetypal signifier of the statement is acceptable to past 5 weeks, with hostages and prisoners exchanged successful cautiously planned stages. By the 16th day, negotiations volition statesman for the 2nd phase, focusing connected the merchandise of soldiers and young men, arsenic good arsenic the instrumentality of bodies. The IDF volition support a beingness successful Gaza during this period, moving troops to a caller information portion to oversee the deal’s implementation.

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For the families of the 98 hostages inactive held by Hamas, Sunday’s events brought a glimmer of anticipation amid the pain. "We rejoice for the families reunited today," Bakshi said. "But this is acold from over. It’s conscionable the opening of a agelong travel to bring everyone home."