Israel-Hamas ceasefire begins, hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher safe in Israel
The mothers of the three women freed by Hamas today have spoken out after seeing their daughters again after their 471 days in captivity, as one thanked Donald Trump for his involvement in their release.
The mothers of the three women who became the first hostages released by Hamas today have spoken of their joy at seeing their daughters again, as one thanked Donald Trump for his involvement in their release from captivity.
Hours after their release, British-Israeli woman Emily Damari, 28, Romi Gonen, 24 and 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher became the focus of social media as the Israel Defence Force, the Israeli government and Hamas released videos of their first moments of freedom.
Shortly after 5pm local time (2am AEDT), the Israeli Defence Forces confirmed that the three had been handed over to the International Red Cross after 471 days in captivity, beginning a process that will see 33 captives freed over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The handover came as a fragile ceasefire of the 15-month-long war in Gaza took effect after a delay of more than two hours, and hours before 90 Palestinian prisoners were freed in the exhange.
An Israeli government video taken at a children’s hospital near Tel Aviv where the three had been taken to meet their family, showed the three hugging close relatives. Doron Steinbrecher appears to be finding the emotional reunion overwhelming, crying as she tightly embraces several of her family.
Her family issued a statement saying: “After an unbearable 471 days, our beloved Dodo has finally returned to our arms. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported and accompanied us along this journey.
“A special thank you to the people of Israel for their warm embrace, unwavering support, and the strength they gave us during our darkest moments. We also extend our gratitude to President Trump for his significant involvement and support, which meant so much to us.’’
Earlier the Israeli authorities had released footage of the women being handed over to the Israeli soldiers at the checkpoint. Still pictures of the three being embraced by their mothers just outside the border area near Re’im were also issued to the world’s media.
Reunited at last. pic.twitter.com/l91srqby5c
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 19, 2025
After greeting her daughter with a close hug, Ms Damari’s elated mother said she was grateful her daughter’s “horrendous ordeal” was finally over.
Mandy Damari was pictured with two other mothers Meirav Leshem Gonen, the mother of Romi Gonen, and Simona, the mother of Doren Steinbrecher looking at phone footage with a senior Israeli defence official on a sofa near the Re’im border crossing of the moment their daughters were handed over from Hamas to the International Red Cross.
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— ×¦×‘× ×”×”×’× ×” לישר×ל (@idfonline) January 19, 2025
Mrs Damari said in a statement: “After 471 days Emily is finally home. I want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name. In Israel, Britain, the United States, and around the world. Thank you for bringing Emily home.
“While Emily’s nightmare in Gaza is over, for too many other families the impossible wait continues. Every last hostage must be released, and humanitarian aid must be provided to the hostages who are still waiting to come home.
“We ask that the media please respect Emily’s and our family’s privacy during this time.”
Meanwhile Hamas issued its own propaganda video of the release, showing the women smiling at the camera before fighters gave them “gift bags” and “certificates” before they were freed. In a cruel twist, the bags reportedly included photographs of the women in captivity.
Ms Damari, 28, looks perplexed as she is handed the package, sitting beside a giggling Romi Gonen. Ms Steinbrecher is on the far side of the vehicle as it appears the women realise they are being released.
The footage then shows some of the hectic Hamas convoy they travelled in, accompanied by bands of Hamas fighters brandishing weapons to the Gaza city handover point at Al Saraya Square where they were ushered into the International Red Cross vehicle.
‘Out of the darkness’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the women’s return saying it was an “exciting moment” after they were handed over to the Red Cross and Israeli military before reuniting with their families early on Monday morning (AEDT).
Emily Damari & mom Mandi talking to brother Tom. Apparently wounded and lost fingers. #hostagedealpic.twitter.com/XSgiQlskFT
— â€Tal Schneider טל ×©× ×™×™×“×¨ تال شنايدر (@talschneider) January 19, 2025
The IDF went on to share on social media images of the three young women clinging to their mothers in moving scenes. In one picture, Ms Damari waves at the camera with a heavily bandaged hand which appears to be missing two fingers.
In another, Roni Gonen and her mother sit in a tight embrace on a sofa in the reception room where the women first saw their families.
“The three returnees have just arrived at the initial reception point in the Gaza envelope area, and they are now meeting with their mothers,” the IDF said in a statement.
Shortly afterwards, the women were flown together to a hospital in central Israel.
In footage released by the military, all three women were seen earlier in the evening emerging from a Red Cross SUV and being welcomed by army personnel.
Wearing baggy sweatsuits with roll-necks underneath, they stepped out of the car smiling to be greeted by female army staff.
In the footage one of the released hostages, Romi Gonen, is seen tightly embracing a female soldier.
#Hamas hands 3 #hostages to Red Cross in #Gaza
— Rita khoury (@ritakhoury10) January 19, 2025
القسام تÙرج عن #اسيرات اسرائيليات #رهائنpic.twitter.com/EvMBZs9nwK
They were then loaded into a van and taken to Reim Army Base, the Gaza headquarters for the Israeli military that was assaulted by Hamas fighters during its October 7, 2023 attack, where the trio were reunited with their mothers.
Later, the six women were taken by military helicopter to Sheba hospital where soldiers deployed a pop-up tunnel to shield them from crowds that had gathered to greet them, an AFP journalist reported.
Amid cheers from the public, the women were loaded onto a bus and taken into the hospital to meet the rest of their family members
The Prime Minister’s Office released a video showing Mr Netanhayu being briefed by a co-ordinator on the ground as the three women were crossing into Israeli territory.
“I know, we all know, they’ve been through hell,” Mr Netanyahu said. “They are coming out of darkness into light. This is a big moment, an exciting moment.”
The IDF releases footage showing the moment the Red Cross handed over hostages Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher to special forces in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/8Ht21aXRfM
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) January 19, 2025
Mr Netanyahu promised to “bring everyone home” and said “an entire nation embraces you’’ in a post on social media.
“Romi, Doron and Emily – an entire nation embraces you, with congratulations on your homecoming,’’ he said.
“This moment was achieved thanks to the sacrifice and fighting of our heroic fighters – the heroes of Israel.
“I promise: We will bring everyone home!”
ðŸšBringing Them ð—›ð—¼ð—ºð—²: Here are exclusive images of IAF helicopters prepared for the process of receiving the hostages from Gaza. pic.twitter.com/yiKPQhAbch
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 19, 2025
Hailing the women’s freedom, US President Joe Biden said “guns in Gaza had fallen silent” because the United States and other negotiators “had never given up’’ after a deal first outlined last May has been finally put in place.
The outgoing US president said the negotiations between Israel and Hamas were “one of the toughest” he had worked in foreign policy over the past decades. Mr Biden noted how the Middle East region had changed as the Israel campaign was extensively and extremely successful weakening Hezbollah and Iran and resulting in regime change in Syria.
He said of the three women: “they appear to be in good health, it’s too early to tell.’’
Joy as handover begins
In the central square in Tel Aviv cheers had broken out as distant pictures of the handover appeared on screen with the three young women walking unaided to Red Cross workers.
On one pickup truck scores of Hamas soldiers, wearing masks, their distinct green headbands and brandishing arms followed the convoy through huge crowds of people.
Buses waited on the other side of the Re’im crossing and family members of the hostages were taken to the area to be able to see their children.
The handover at Al-Saraya Square in western Gaza City was incredibly chaotic with Hamas soldiers and others even standing on the roofs of the Red Cross vehicles as crowds of Palestinians surrounded the area, all trying to get a glimpse of the hostages.
A huge roar rang out in Tel Aviv when about half an hour later it was confirmed that the three women were in Israeli hands. Grainy footage of the three during the handover showed them wearing large dark sunglasses to protect their eyes.
The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the women had been handed over to the Israeli military, saying: “The government of Israel embraces the three returnees. The government of Israel is committed to returning all of the hostages and the missing.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the return of the women but said they remained “deeply concerned” for the remaining hostages.
“These are critical and emotional hours for the families and for all of Israel,” the forum said in a statement. “While we rejoice for each hostage who returns home, we remain deeply concerned for our loved ones who might be left behind.’’
They added, “now, more than ever, we need the public to stand with us until the last hostage returns. We will not leave anyone behind. Only through our united strength can we ensure everyone returns – the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial.”
The forum confirmed that the three hostages released were Ms Gonen, from Kfar Vradim who was captured at the Nova Festival, and two friends from Kfar Aza, tveterinary nurse Doron Steinbrecher and Ms Damari, a British citizen.
While Emily and Doron have been released, another two young people from the same kibbutz, Gali and Ziv Berman, remain in captivity.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the hostage release was wonderful and long overdue news, saying that Emily Damari’s mother had never stopped a tireless fight to bring her daughter home.
“I wish them all the very best as they begin the road to recovery after the intolerable trauma they have experienced,’’ he said.” We stand ready to offer assistance and support.
“However, today also represents another day of suffering for those who haven’t made it home yet – so while this ceasefire deal should be welcomed, we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas.
“We must now see the remaining phases of the ceasefire deal implemented in full and on schedule, including the release of those remaining hostages and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a permanent and peaceful solution.”
Ninety four hostages still remain in Hamas captivity, more than 470 days since the shock October 23 attacks which sparked the war.
“We cannot and will not forget for a moment that 94 hostages – including women, children and elderly men – remain in Hamas captivity,” Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said this morning.
Red Cross convoy travels across to pickup point
A Red Cross convoy began to make its way through Gaza at 3.45pm local time (12.45am AEDT) after Hamas said they were releasing the women in the first of a six-week staged handover of 33 hostages.
Israel had refused to confirm the hostage names until they could verify their identities, fearing that Hamas will further indulge in psychological torture of anxious families with last minute changes.
A spokesman for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu said the mood in Israel was one of a nation “collectively holdings its breath” for the coming home of three precious daughters.
The spokesman told an international press conference that Israel was “all consumed, all at once elated, and yet dreading outcomes”, because of the stories from those who had earlier returned of accounts of rape, torture and dungeons.
In return for the release of the three women, Israel has released 90 Palestinian prisoners from the Ofer military prison between Ramallah and Beitunia in the West Bank.
This comes as a US official told NBC that some of Gaza’s two million inhabitants could be relocated to Indonesia while their towns and cities are rebuilt.
3 רכבי הצלב ×”××“×•× ×‘×ª× ×•×¢×” לחבירה pic.twitter.com/94hqxagroa
— Or Heller ×ור הלר (@OrHeller) January 19, 2025
The official, working with Donald Trump’s transition team was not named, but said Indonesia was being considered a place of refuge.
The second hostage release will occur next Saturday when four hostages are slated to be returned. It has been speculated that those four may be the youngest hostage, two-year-old Kfir Bibas, and his family, Yarden Bibas, Shiri Bibas and Ariel Bibas – all whom Hamas said last year had died in the conflict.
Ms Steinbrecher, a vet nurse and Ms Damari, who was shot in the arm and the leg during the October 7, 2023 massacre, are both from Kibbutz Kfar Az, which had prepared two caravan homes for their arrival.
Ms Gonen was abducted from the Nova festival site as the car she was escaping in came under fire, killing other occupants.
Ms Gonen’s mother had listened in on the phone to her daughter’s harrowing and desperate plight for several hours as she tried to leave the festival site. The last words she heard were Arabic voices saying ‘this one’s alive’’.
Ms Damari’s mother, Mandy, has been lobbying British politicians for her daughter’s release. She said “My nightmare is still going on until I see Emily and all the other 98 hostages back in Israel with their families.”
The proposed ceasefire had been delayed for several hours on Sunday because Hamas said it had a “technical field reason” and was unable to release the names of Israeli hostages proposed to be released.
Families of the hostages said the delay was “torture” and “unparalleled cruelty”. But after more than two tense hours, during which Israeli continued bombing Gaza, Hamas finally passed over the names, with the ceasefire beginning at 11.15am local time on Sunday.
This was the first hostage release since November 2023.
Immediately after the ceasefire began, the first of thousands of prepared aid trucks began entering Gaza through the Zikim and Kerem Shalom crossings.
Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OCHAoPt), said on X: “A ceasefire finally came into effect in Gaza at 11:15 today. First trucks of supplies started entering just 15 minutes later. A massive effort has been underway over the past days from humanitarian partners to load and prepare to distribute a surge of aid across all of Gaza.”
The UN World Food Programme announced the first trucks carried “life-saving wheat flour and ready-to-eat food parcels for people in desperate need’’ while the
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said it had 4,000 aid trucks ready to enter Gaza.
Under the temporary ceasefire deal 600 trucks a day will enter Gaza with the aid agencies preparing for significant challenges such as unexploded ordinance, a lack of warehousing capacity and public disorder.
This comes as Israeli soldiers withdrew from densely populated areas of Gaza, with a security buffer zone of 800m deep established along the Gaza-Israel border.
Fragile agreement
The last-minute hitch highlighted the fragility of the agreement with deep distrust between the two countries and an uncertainty that the deal will survive through to its total ceasefire conclusion.
The Families of the Hostages and Missing Families forum said they believed the last-minute delay by Hamas, and the unknown state of the hostages – whether they are alive or dead – was torture and “a deliberate tactic” and unparalleled in its cruelty to cause maximum emotional pain.
“Many families have prepared clothes, celebrations and plans to reunite with their loved ones only to face the excruciating possibility of witnessing, live on television the devastating reality of their condition or fate,’’ the forum said.
“This deliberation manipulation of their minds hearts and souls magnifies their torment and leaves the nation as a whole in a collective state of suffering.’’
The forum, which represents many of the more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 massacre said that Hamas most likely knew the status of every hostage.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that there would be no future peace in the region if Hamas retained power in Gaza.
Mr Sa’ar spoke on Sunday in Tel Aviv after the temporary ceasefire had begun and addressed Israel’s position in relation for a permanent ceasefire. “There is no future of peace, for stability and security for both sides if Hamas remains in power in the Gaza Strip,’’ Mr Sa’ar warned.
Under the terms of the current deal, the next stage of negotiations to discuss a permanent ceasefire will begin in 16 days but he said the terms had yet to be negotiated.
He said: “Israel is committed to achieve all the goals of the war that our security cabinet determined. That includes the return of all our hostages, the dismantlement of the Hamas government and its military capabilities and to make sure the Gaza Strip will not be a threat to Israel and its citizens.
“This war could have ended long ago if Hamas had laid down weapons and handed over our hostages.”
He said Palestinian leaders must come with peaceful intentions to achieve a lasting peace but he expressed a level of scepticism.
“We are not seeing it, if you look at the Palestinian society and political landscape, we are not seeing moderate responsible political leaders to bring hope.”
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier made it clear that the truce would not begin until Israel has been provided with the list of released abductees that Hamas has pledged to provide.
While there appeared to be evidence on the ground that Israeli troops had begun the planned withdrawal of populated areas, and some of the displaced 2.2 million residents had begun moving towards Gaza City, the last-minute hitch meant Israel could continue its military campaign.
“The Prime Minister instructed the IDF that the ceasefire, which is supposed to go into effect at 6.30am, will not begin until Israel has the list of released abductees that Hamas has pledged to provide,” Mr Netanyahu’s office said.
Hamas blamed a “technical field reason” for the delay of the names and said it was committed to the hostage release.
The head of the Palestinian mission to the United Kingdom Husam Zomlot told Sky News the ceasefire was “a big sigh of relief’, adding it was “15 months too late with 200,000 people killed, maimed and injured”.
“I dread the day I go back to Gaza to see the magnitude of destruction,” he said.
The control of Gaza remains with Hamas, which is outside of the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and its Fatah offshoot. It remains unclear how Hamas and Fatah will work together and who will take the lead in rebuilding Gaza if a permanent ceasefire is eventually negotiated.
On Sunday Mr Zomlot said Palestinian authorities would “begin the healing, attend to our wounds, bury our dead and deal with an unprecedented and unmatched humanitarian crisis” by co-ordinating the access of aid and concentrating of providing water food and energy supplies.
He anticipated that there would be future elections to decide the leadership of the area.
Late on Sunday, The Times of Israel reported that Hamas declared it would be releasing the three women hostages within the next 24 hours.
In that time Israel had continued its military bombardment, including on Gaza City, killing at least eight people, Palestinian sources said.
Amid the uncertainty and tensions the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, and the Palestinian Police announced the deployment of their forces in the Gaza Strip “to maintain security”.
Under the deal the Hamas police, wearing identifiable blue uniforms would be in the area to manage the movement of people, but are not meant to be armed unless “absolutely necessary”.
Thousands of displaced Gazans carrying tents, clothes and personal belongings began heading to their homes.
Palestinians travelled by truck, donkey cart and on foot back to their homes through devastated swathes of Gaza, particularly in the northern parts of the territory.
Under the deal, the first stage of six weeks would see the staged weekly release of a total of 33 Israeli hostages, mainly civilian women, female soldiers, children, the elderly, and sick and wounded civilians in exchange for 734 prisoners and 1167 people who have been taken in the fighting.
Stage two would involve a permanent ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages.
Mr Netanyahu had earlier said US President Joe Biden and Mr Trump had agreed to support Israel’s “right to return to fighting” if Hamas didn’t not abide by the deal”.
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