First hostages released by Hamas to the Red Cross

World

Emily Damari, a 28-year-old British-Israeli woman, is among the first three hostages Hamas plans to release today as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

She was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel when she was “shot in the hand, injured by shrapnel in her leg, blindfolded, bundled into the back of her own car, and driven back to Gaza”, according to her mother.

The other two hostages are 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher, who was also taken from her home in the same kibbutz in southern Israel as Ms Damari, and Romi Gonen, 24, who was abducted from a music festival.

Hamas said on Sunday it had handed the names of the three female hostages over to mediators of the ceasefire, and was expecting a list of the 90 Palestinian prisoners – including women and children – to be released on Sunday in exchange.

The long-sought ceasefire for Gaza, where Israel has been waging a powerful military campaign for the past 15 months, was delayed by several hours before it eventually took effect at 11.15am local time.

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Emily Damari
Image:
Emily Damari

Romi Gonen
Image:
Romi Gonen

Doron Steinbrecher
Image:
Doron Steinbrecher

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire, which had been due to start at 8.30am, would not begin until Israel received the names.

After receiving the list, his office confirmed in a statement the ceasefire had started, and that Israeli security personnel were checking the “details” and contacting the families of the hostages who would be released after 4pm.

It also said four other living female hostages would be freed in seven days.

The ceasefire deadline was missed after Hamas failed to issue the list of the hostages up for release today on time.

The group blamed “technical field reasons” for the delay, and as a result Israel continued to launch military strikes into Gaza.

Sky’s Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall said he understood these technical issues may have been related to Hamas’s difficulties passing messages between its leadership in Gaza. It has long avoided using mobile phones to prevent detection by the Israeli military.

Smoke rises after an explosion in northern Gaza as the ceasefire is delayed. Pic: Reuters
Image:
An explosion in northern Gaza as the ceasefire was delayed. Pic: Reuters

The Israeli military said it struck “terror targets” in northern and central Gaza on Sunday morning as the dispute with Hamas over the delivery of the list continued.

At least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in the military strikes, the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said.

Medics reported tanks firing at the Zeitoun area in Gaza City, and said an airstrike and tank fire also hit the northern town of Beit Hanoun, sending residents who had returned there in anticipation of the ceasefire fleeing.

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Bunkall said: “Many in Israel will naturally blame Hamas for playing games and risking the lives of the hostages and the Gazan people.

“The mediating teams knew the ceasefire would be shaky, they knew that there would be bumps in the road and have encouraged both Israel and Hamas to remain calm as any difficulties are worked through.”

As the fragile ceasefire started, Israeli forces started withdrawing from parts of Gaza, allowing many displaced Palestinians to return to their homes.

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Rafah: Gazans return home

The deal was agreed by Israel’s cabinet on Friday night after a breakthrough in negotiations mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt was announced on Wednesday.

Its first stage will last six weeks, during which 33 of the remaining 94 hostages – women, children, men over 50, the ill and wounded – will be released in return for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

They include 737 male, female and teenage prisoners, some of whom are members of militant groups convicted of attacks that killed dozens of Israelis, as well as hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza in detention since the start of the war.

The pause in fighting will also see a surge in humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged territory under the negotiated deal.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The UK government welcomes the reports that British national Emily Damari is on the list of hostages to be released by Hamas today. We stand ready to support her upon her release.

“We urge both sides to implement all phases of the deal in full and for all hostages to be returned.”

The war began after Hamas militants rampaged into Israel and killed around 1,200 people and abducted another 250 on 7 October 2023. Around half of the hostages were freed during a brief ceasefire in November that year.

Israel responded with an offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half the dead.

It has said it will not agree to a complete withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas’s military and political capabilities are eliminated, ensuring it can no longer rule.

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