First three hostages released by Hamas under new ceasefire

The three hostages reunited with their families Sunday are the first of more than 30 planned for release as part of Israel’s newly implemented ceasefire with the terror group Hamas. After more than 470 days in captivity, the three young women—Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher—were handed over to the International Red Cross in Gaza, according to the Israeli Defense Forces. The agency then transferred the women into the custody of the IDF and the Israel Securities Authority. The IDF later said that the three former hostages were home. The three women seemed to be in good condition but would undergo medical evaluations, according to the IDF.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday congratulated the former hostages on their return home, adding that the entire nation of Israel embraced them. He credited the release to the sacrifices made by members of the IDF, and went on to promise to bring all of the remaining hostages home.

What do we know about the reunion? The IDF posted several images of the women reuniting with their family members. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also released a video showing the emotional homecomings, with the women weeping and embracing their loved ones.

What is Israel giving up in return? The ceasefire deal, which went into effect on Sunday, requires Israel to release more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of 33 hostages over a period of more than 40 days. On Friday, the Israel Ministry of Justice posted a list of prisoners and security detainees who may be released as part of the deal. The group includes terrorists who murdered Israeli residents, according to Israel’s Ministry of Defense. The families of those victims will be notified by letter that their loved ones’ killers will be released as part of the ceasefire deal.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report on the evolution of the ceasefire deal.