After 471 days in captivity, three hostages were released by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on the first day of a ceasefire with Israel. Hamas agreed to release three women on the first day, while a convoy of trucks carrying aid for Palestinians began entering Gaza from Egypt on the same day. The agreement took effect on Sunday after a last-minute delay by Hamas that pushed back the start of the ceasefire by nearly three hours and highlighted its fragility.
The first three hostages released by the Palestinian group Hamas are: Emily Damari, 28, a British-Israeli citizen, kidnapped from her apartment in the 'Kfar Aza' neighborhood.
Doron Steinbrecher, 31, kidnapped in the same neighborhood as Ms. Damari, and Romi Gonen, 24, kidnapped while attending a festival, A2 reports.
Four more women are expected to be released on the seventh day of the deal. As part of the first phase of the deal, over 30 hostages are expected to be released within six weeks in exchange for dozens of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
The agreement also allowed aid trucks to enter the Gaza Strip. Trucks carrying aid deemed desperately needed by Palestinians entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing from Egypt.
US President Joe Biden welcomed the release of the hostages and the start of the ceasefire agreement.
"The agreement that I first presented last May has finally come into effect... The ceasefire has come into effect in Gaza and we are seeing the release of hostages. Three Israeli women were released today, after seven days four more are being released. After that, hostages are being released every seven days, including two American citizens," he declared.
The deal came into effect on Sunday after a last-minute delay by Hamas pushed back the start of the ceasefire by nearly three hours, underscoring its fragility. Another concern was whether the Israeli government, which also includes members of the far-right, would approve it.
Israel's far-right finance minister threatened on Sunday to leave the coalition government if Israel stops the war against Hamas in Gaza.
"Unfortunately, we were unable to stop this dangerous agreement, but we persisted and were able to assure the cabinet, by government decision, that the war will not stop without fulfilling all its goals and the complete destruction of Hamas," said Minister Smotrich.
The Israeli Defense Minister said on Sunday that Israel "will not stop the war until everyone returns home."
"We will take care to guard a zone inside Gaza and respond forcefully to any violation and threat. Thanks to the heroism of the soldiers, today we will see the return of the three hostages and later the return of all the hostages. We will not stop the war before everyone returns home," said Minister Katz.
The war, meanwhile, continued until a few hours before the ceasefire began.
The Israeli missile defense system known as 'Iron Dome' shot down three rockets launched on Tuesday by militants from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Rocket and mortar attacks from the Gaza Strip have decreased as Israel has launched a massive offensive there in response to the Hamas attack on October 7.
However, militants are still able to regularly fire short-range projectiles at Israeli communities and army bases near the border.
The Gaza war began when Hamas carried out a terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250. Of these hostages, just under 100 are thought to remain in Hamas hands, but about a third are believed to have died./ Voice of America (A2 Televizion)
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