On Sunday, Hamas released three Israeli hostages, and Israel freed 90 Palestinian prisoners as a ceasefire took effect, halting a 15-month conflict that left Gaza in ruins and escalated tensions throughout the Middle East. The truce allowed Palestinians to return to their destroyed neighborhoods to begin rebuilding, while relief trucks delivered essential aid. In other parts of Gaza, crowds celebrated as Hamas fighters emerged from hiding.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, fireworks lit the sky as buses carrying released Palestinian prisoners arrived to a warm welcome from thousands of supporters. Hamas stated that among those freed were 69 women and 21 teenage boys from the West Bank and Jerusalem.
In Tel Aviv, a square outside the defense headquarters was filled with hundreds of Israelis, who cheered and shed tears as a live broadcast from Gaza showed three female hostages boarding a Red Cross vehicle, surrounded by Hamas fighters.
The ceasefire, which commenced on Sunday morning, has brought renewed hope for ending the devastating conflict and securing the release of nearly 100 remaining hostages taken during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack. However, uncertainty looms over whether fighting will resume after the initial six-day phase.
The truce began with the release of Emily Damari, 28; Romi Gonen, 24; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, in a high-stakes handover to the Red Cross on a street in Gaza City. Footage captured the women surrounded by a massive crowd and armed, masked men wearing green Hamas headbands.
The hostages were then transferred to Israeli forces and brought into Israel, where they were greeted by their families with emotional embraces and tears.
