Three Israeli hostages, Emily Damari, Romi Goren, and Doron Steinbrecher, who were kidnapped by Hamas during the deadly Oct. 7 attacks, have been freed as part of a cease-fire deal. The women were spotted carrying paper gift bags with the terror organization's logo, containing a map of Gaza, photos from their time in captivity, and release certificates.
After spending over 15 months in captivity, the hostages have been reunited with their families. The bags also contained personal items, including a necklace for Goren, which were confiscated by the Israel Security Agency.
Emily Damari's mother expressed relief and happiness over her daughter's release, stating that Emily is doing well and is the happiest girl in the world to have her life back. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanked Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for securing Damari's release.
The families of the hostages expressed gratitude to the people of Israel and President Trump for their support during the ordeal. A Hamas official confirmed that four more Israeli female hostages will be released soon.
The cease-fire and hostage deal involves Hamas gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel releasing nearly 2,000 prisoners from the West Bank and Gaza. Israel has already released 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement.
Following the hostage release, the Israel Defense Forces announced a leadership shakeup, with Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi resigning in light of the IDF's failure on October 7th. Halevi will step down from his role on March 6th, 2025, after completing inquiries into the events and enhancing the IDF's readiness for security challenges.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz praised Halevi for his service and contributions to the IDF's achievements. Prime Minister Netanyahu also commended Halevi for his years of service and the country's accomplishments.
