Gaza ceasefire begins with three Israeli hostages set to be freed

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Gaza ceasefire begins with three Israeli hostages set to be freed

By Panther media Konsults
20250119-Israel_Hostages Romi Gonen Emily Damari Doron Steinbrecher.jpg

Here's what we know about the three hostages set to be released
Source: Panther media Konsults

What we're covering

• A long-awaited ceasefire started in Gaza on Sunday following a three-hour delay, bringing respite to the besieged enclave after a bloody 15 months.

• During the delay, Israel continued to strike the enclave, with at least 13 Palestinians killed and 30 others wounded, according to officials.

• The three Israeli hostages due to be freed from captivity on Sunday are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. In exchange, 95 Palestinian prisoners will be released – 70 females and 25 males.

• The exact time Hamas will release the hostages is unclear, but the Israeli government has indicated it will be after 4 p.m. (9 a.m. ET). A total of 33 Israeli hostages in Gaza will be released during the first phase of the ceasefire, which lasts for six weeks.

• Displaced Gazans are starting to return to their homes, while aid trucks lined up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing ahead of the deal going into effect.

UK welcomes reports of Israeli-British citizen’s expected release
From Panther
 Eve Brennan

The United Kingdom welcomed reports that Israeli-British citizen Emily Damari is set to be released from Gaza by Hamas, the UK Foreign Office said in a statement to Panther media Konsults on Sunday.

“We stand ready to support her upon her release. We urge both sides to implement all phases of the deal in full and for all hostages to be returned,” it added.

Damari was kidnapped from her home in Kfar Aza, Israel, on October 7, 2023. She is the only remaining British citizen held in Gaza

From Panther media Konsults

The Israeli government has named 33 hostages set for release during the first phase of a ceasefire that went into effect Sunday morning.

In a post on the Israel X account, which is run by the foreign ministry, the government posted a graphic containing the names and photos of hostages set for release. It is unclear how many of the people named are alive.

Of the 33, 31 were taken from Israel on October 7, 2023. The other two hostages due for release have been held since 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Among those due for release are the two youngest hostages held by Hamas – Kfir and Ariel Bibas who, if alive, would be two and five years old, respectively.

Also among those named are two Israeli-Americans who are presumed to be alive: Sagui Dekel-Chen and Keith Siegel. A third Israeli-American presumed to be alive, Edan Alexander, is an Israeli soldier and is not on this list. Four other Israeli-Americans who have been confirmed to be dead – Itay Chen, Omer Neutra, Gadi Haggai, and Judih Weinstein Haggai – are also not on the list.

The people due for release are:

1. Liri Albag

2. Itzhik Elgarat

3. Karina Ariev

4. Ohad Ben-Ami

5. Ariel Bibas

6. Yarden Bibas

7. Kfir Bibas

8. Shiri Silberman Bibas

9. Agam Berger

10. Romi Gonen

11. Danielle Gilboa

12. Emily Damari

13. Sagui Dekel-Chen

14. Yair Horn

15. Omer Wenkert

16. Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov

17. Arbel Yehud

18. Ohad Yahalomi

19. Eliya Cohen

20. Or Levy

21. Naama Levy

22. Oded Lifshitz

23. Gadi Moshe Moses

24. Avera Mengistu (held since 2014)

25. Shlomo Mansur

26. Keith Siegel

27. Tsahi Idan

28. Ofer Calderon

29. Tal Shoham

30. Doron Steinbrecher

31. Omer Shem-Tov

32. Hisham Al Sayed (held since 2015)

33. Eli Sharabi



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