Official announcements from the Israeli government or international news agencies

Trump Announces Release of 33 Hostages from Gaza to Begin Today, Three Young Women First

Jan 19, 2025, 01:04 PM

Former President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the release of hostages from Gaza is set to begin today, with three young women being the first to be freed. The hostages include Romi Gonen, aged 24, kidnapped at the Supernova festival; Emily Damari, 28, with dual British and Israeli citizenship, abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a veterinary nurse also taken from Kfar Aza. The agreement between Israel and the Hamas group involves the release of 33 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, alongside the entry of humanitarian aid into the region. The negotiations, mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, were finalized after delays due to Hamas's slow provision of hostage names. The ceasefire, initially scheduled for 8:30 AM local time, started almost three hours later. Hamas has attributed the ceasefire agreement to the efforts of Trump's new administration and its special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. The agreement comes after 15 months of war and follows Trump's election victory, which he claims facilitated the deal.