Hamas releases first three hostages after ceasefire deal with Israel
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Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher handed over to Red Cross after 15 months in captivity. Three women held hostage by Hamas in tunnels beneath Gaza during 15 months of devastating conflict, including the joint British national Emily Damari, have been dramatically released in the first act of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the conflict.
![[Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher and Romi Gonen]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/7208c823e5f46be48272da9cd4b2f69d24d6659e/0_0_2550_1530/master/2550.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Damari, 28, Romi Gonen, 24 and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were handed over to the International Committee for the Red Cross in Gaza on Sunday afternoon, ending a protracted ordeal that began with their violent abduction by Hamas on 7 October 2023. Live television footage of the handover broadcast from the scene by Al Jazeera showed a white minivan arriving in a square in the Rimal district of Gaza City with the three women inside.
A few moments later the women exited the vehicles accompanied by Hamas fighters in green headbands and balaclavas and closely pressed by crowds who took pictures with cellphones and chanted support for Hamas. The handover was confirmed by Israeli, Hamas and Red Cross officials to media not long after 5pm local time (3pm GMT), with the women being described as “in good health” by the Red Cross to an Israeli official.
A senior Hamas official confirmed to the AFP news agency that the Palestinian militant group had handed over three female Israeli hostages to the Red Cross on Sunday, as agreed with Israel in the ceasefire deal. “The three women hostages were officially handed over to the Red Cross at al-Saraya Square in the al-Rimal neighbourhood in western Gaza City,” the official said. “This occurred after a member of the Red Cross team met with them and ensured their wellbeing.”.
