British-Israeli woman among three hostages released after Gaza ceasefire begins
19 January 2025, 15:27 | Updated: 19 January 2025, 15:53
The first three hostages have been released by Hamas.
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Emily Damari, who holds dual British-Israeli heritage, Romi Gonen, 24, and Doren Steinbecher, 31, have been released and handed over to the Red Cross, according to the IDF.
The hostages are thought to be on route toward Israeli forces.
The Israeli military said in a statement: "The Red Cross has communicated that the three Israeli hostages were transferred to them and are on their way toward IDF and Israel Securities Authority forces in the Gaza Strip," the Israeli military said in a statement.
The ceasefire had been due to begin at 6.30am UK time, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed it because the Palestinian terror group had not given the names of the three hostages to be released on time.
Hamas finally gave the names at around 8.30am UK time, allowing the start of the ceasefire to go ahead.
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It is unclear what condition the three women are in, as Israel is said not to have been given any information by Hamas.
Ms Damari, who was raised in south-east London before moving to Israel in her 20s, was wounded in the October 7 attack on a kibbutz, according to her mother.
Mandy Damari said her daughter 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".
Palestinian officials said that eight people had been killed and 25 wounded by bombing in the Gaza strip this weekend.
Meanwhile Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir resigned from government in opposition to the security deal.
Hamas said the delay was due to "technical field reasons" while also confirming its "commitment to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
Mr Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel is treating the ceasefire with Gaza as temporary and retains the right to continue fighting if necessary.
He added that "Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement".
Early on Saturday morning, Israel's Cabinet approved the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that would release dozens of hostages and pause the 15-month war with Hamas, bringing the sides a step closer to ending their deadliest and most destructive fighting ever.
Under the deal, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Key questions remain about the ceasefire, however, the second achieved during the war, including the names of the 33 hostages who are to be released during the first, six-week phase and who among them is still alive.
Hamas agreed to free three female hostages on day one of the deal, four on day seven and the remaining 26 over the following five weeks.
Palestinian detainees are to be released as well.
Israel's justice ministry published a list of more than 700 who are to be freed in the deal's first phase and said the release will not begin before 4pm local time on Sunday.
All people on the list are younger or female.
The largely devastated Gaza should see a surge in humanitarian aid. Trucks carrying aid lined up Friday on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing into Gaza.
Hamas triggered the war with its October 7 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive.
Nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza.
Israel responded with a devastating offensive 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.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza once the ceasefire takes effect will face many obstacles.
Mr Guterres told reporters in Beirut on Saturday that the challenges of aid distribution include gangs that are "looting systematically the convoys" as well as the total degradation of Gaza and its infrastructure.
He said there are limited number of trucks at the present in Gaza "so a lot of actions are necessary in order to make the distribution fully effective".
He said the ceasefire makes it clear that there would not be any impediments by Israel for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
Mr Guterres said the distribution will be carried out by the UN and its partners as well as the private sector and other initiatives.
"It is clear that there is an obligation by Israel of not creating any obstacles," Mr Guterres said.
He added: "It is clear that the situation in Gaza is still extremely complex and a lot of difficulties still remain for an effective distribution."
