Hamas released three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross on Sunday, Israeli state media reported, hours after a Gaza ceasefire took effect.
Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Demari, 27, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were freed to the Red Cross, which will then deliver them to the Israeli Defense Forces. A crowd watched the ongoing saga in Tel Aviv, cheering as good news emerged 15 months after the Oct. 7 massacre of civilians by Hamas.
Israel is expected to free some 90 Palestinian prisoners in return.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli Defense Forces that the cease-fire would not begin until Israel had the list of hostages expected to be freed. Since Hamas had not given the names of the hostages by the time the cease-fire was set to start, the IDF continued to operate, as it was still striking inside Gaza. At least eight Gazans have been killed in IDF strikes since the cease-fire was set to begin, according to a Hamas-run agency.
Hamas had said the three-hour delay in providing the names was due to "technical field reasons" and added that it is committed to the cease-fire deal announced last week.
Hamas released a statement after the cease-fire began, pledging to the people of Gaza "to be the trustees of their rights and defenders of them, until the complete liberation of the land and the holy sites."
"The whole world today must stand in reverence for the legendary steadfastness of our people in Gaza, and in appreciation of their patience and sacrifices over the course of 471 days," Hamas said.
"With the entry into force of the ceasefire, we affirm our commitment to implementing the terms of the agreement, which is the fruit of the steadfastness and patience of our great people, and the legendary steadfastness of our valiant resistance in the face of the zionist machine of terrorism and killing," the statement continued.
Israel’s Cabinet approved the deal early Saturday morning for a cease-fire in Gaza that would include the release of dozens of hostages and pause the war with Hamas that began after the terror group's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish State.
The deal would allow 33 hostages to be set free over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remaining hostages are set to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first.
"Our heroic prisoners have an appointment with freedom starting today, and this is our firm pledge with them always, until they break the shackles of the jailer and breathe freedom in the skies of Palestine," Hamas said in its statement.
Hamas agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on the seventh day and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.
Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting cease-fire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
This is the second cease-fire achieved during the war.
Gaza is expected to receive a surge in humanitarian aid when the cease-fire begins.
"We are monitoring the operations of bringing in aid and providing relief to our people with everything necessary, and we confirm that all efforts will be made to provide all the necessary support and assistance requirements to restore the cycle of life in the Gaza Strip to normal," Hamas said in its statement.
The 15-month-long war in Gaza started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which roughly 1,200 people wer killed and about 250 others were abducted, prompting military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza.
More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's offensive, according to the Hamas-run government's local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and terrorists.
