Sunday marked the beginning of the hostage and prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas, as part of a ceasefire deal following 15 months of conflict. This first phase saw the release of three Israeli hostages, marking a significant step in the ongoing negotiations.
The first hostages to be freed were Romi Gonen, 24; Emily Damari, 28; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31. They were transported by van from Gaza to the Red Cross for the exchange. These three women were taken hostage on October 7, 2023, during Hamas’ attack on Israel. Gonen, who was at the Nova music festival, was shot in the hand during her abduction.
Before this release, at least 117 hostages had already been freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israeli officials believe that around 98 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, though some of these individuals may have died or been killed during the conflict.
Three U.S. citizens-Sagui Dekel-Chen, Edan Alexander, and Keith Siegel-are also believed to be held in Gaza, along with the remains of four other U.S. hostages.
Full List of Released Hostages
Hamas provided a full list of the 33 hostages to be released in the first phase of the exchange:
Liri Albag
Itzhak Elgarat
Karina Ariev
Ohad Ben Ami
Ariel Bibas
Yarden Bibas
Kfir Bibas
Shiri Bibas
Agam Berger
Gonen Romi
Daniella Gilboa
Emily Damari
Sagui Dekel-Chen
Iair Horn
Omer Wenkert
Alexandre Sasha Troufanov
Arbel Yehoud
Ohad Yahalomi
Eliya Cohen
Or Levy
Naama Levy
Oded Lifshitz
Gadi Moshe Mozes
Avraham (Avera) Mengisto
Shlomo Mantzur
Keith Samuel Sigal
Tsachi Idan
Ofer Kalderon
Tal Shoham
Doron Steinbrecher
Omer Shem Tov
Hisham Al-Sayed
Eli Sharabi
Reactions to the Release
U.S. President Joe Biden commented on the release, noting the difficult road to the ceasefire and the role of U.S. support for Israel in pressuring Hamas. He acknowledged that diplomacy was challenging but ultimately led to the current peace efforts.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, shared a message of relief on social media: “Romi, Doron, and Emily are finally home with their families. We will do whatever it takes to bring all of our hostages home. Romi, Doron, and Emily, we thought of you every single day over the past 471 days. We prayed for your safety and worked tirelessly for your release.”
