Gaza Ceasefire Begins After Delay; Hamas to Release Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher

Jan 19, 2025, 10:28 AM

A ceasefire in Gaza has commenced after a nearly three-hour delay, with Hamas announcing the names of three Israeli hostages set to be released on Sunday. The hostages, identified as Romi Gonen (24 years old), Emily Damari (28 years old, British-Israeli), and Doron Steinbrecher (31 years old, Romanian-Israeli), were abducted during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Romi Gonen was taken from the Nova music festival, while Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The delay in the ceasefire was attributed to Hamas's late submission of the hostages' names, which Israel had demanded before agreeing to the truce. The ceasefire agreement, mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, marks the first step in a process aimed at ending the 15-month conflict. In exchange for the hostages, Israel is expected to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, with a total of 33 hostages and 737 prisoners involved in the deal. Celebrations have erupted across Gaza, and some Palestinians have begun returning to their homes, despite the delay underscoring the fragility of the agreement.