Israel Confirms Release of Three Hostages by Hamas Following Ceasefire Agreement.

Israel:

Israel has confirmed that three hostages, who had been held by Hamas in Gaza for 15 months, have been released and are now back in Israeli territory. The hostages were handed over by Hamas to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza City, shortly after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect. The hostages were then transferred to the Israeli military for further processing.

The three individuals released include 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher, 28-year-old Emily Damari, a dual British-Israeli national, and 24-year-old Romi Gonen. Emily Damari was seen in a video call, visibly injured with a bandaged hand, as she embraced her mother.

In a statement, Hamas confirmed that for each hostage released, they expect the release of 30 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, reflecting the ongoing and complex nature of the prisoner exchange negotiations.

The ceasefire, which was delayed until the last minute, allowed displaced Palestinians to begin returning to cities they had fled due to the ongoing conflict. Despite the ceasefire agreement, Israel continued its airstrikes during the delay, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run civil defense agency.

The release of the hostages has been hailed as a significant moment in the tense and ongoing conflict, but the broader situation remains precarious as both sides look to navigate a fragile peace agreement.