Hamas releases three Israeli hostages held in Gaza

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip,— Streets across Gaza erupted in celebration Sunday as a ceasefire brought a pause to the fighting, allowing displaced residents to return to the ruins of their bombed homes.

The truce, which also saw the release of hostages held by Hamas, marked a fragile moment of relief in the 15-month conflict.

In Khan Younis, armed Hamas Islamist fighters paraded through the streets, greeted by cheering crowds. Meanwhile, in Gaza’s heavily bombarded northern region, residents navigated through piles of rubble and twisted metal, reflecting on the devastation. Aya, a woman displaced from Gaza City, described the ceasefire as a lifeline. “It’s like finding water in a desert after being lost for so long,” she said from her temporary shelter in Deir Al-Balah.

Across the border in Tel Aviv, hundreds of Israelis gathered near defense headquarters to watch a live broadcast of hostages being released. Cheers erupted as three women—Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari—were seen boarding a Red Cross vehicle under the watch of armed Hamas fighters.

The Israeli military confirmed the three were reunited with their mothers shortly after crossing back into Israel. The women were among those kidnapped during Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, raid, which sparked the current war. Emily Damari, who lost two fingers during her abduction, was seen smiling and holding her mother’s hand, her injuries still bandaged.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the hostages home via a phone call to military commanders, saying, “Romi, Doron, and Emily—an entire nation embraces you. Welcome home.”

In the West Bank, buses lined up in anticipation of Arab detainees being released from Israeli prisons as part of the truce agreement. Hamas stated that the initial exchange would include 69 women and 21 teenage boys.

The ceasefire, delayed by last-minute airstrikes that killed 13 people, was met with mixed emotions. Israeli forces cited delays in receiving hostage lists from Hamas, while the militant group called it a technical issue.

President Joe Biden welcomed the pause, calling it a testament to U.S.-backed pressure on Hamas. “Today, the guns in Gaza have gone silent,” he said, hailing the truce as a hard-fought diplomatic achievement.

The deal includes provisions for six weeks of calm, the release of nearly 100 hostages, and the delivery of aid to Gaza, in exchange for around 2,000 Gazans and West Banker prisoners held in Israeli jails.

In Gaza City, celebrations were tempered by sorrow. “We are in pain, deep pain,” said Ahmed Abu Ayham, who sought refuge in Khan Younis. Others returned to their homes, or what remained of them.

“It’s complete joy to be back,” said Ahmed Abou Mohsen in Rafah, though he acknowledged the despair of neighbors whose homes were destroyed.

As aid trucks entered Gaza, the World Food Programme reported deliveries underway. However, the conflict has left deep scars.

The war has claimed the lives of thousands of Gazans, mostly Hamas fighters, displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, and killed more than 400 Israeli soldiers, according to official tallies.

While the ceasefire offers a reprieve, the future of Gaza remains uncertain, with Israeli officials warning that any return of Hamas would reignite conflict.

(With files from Reuters)