After 471 days in captivity, three Israeli women were freed by Hamas and handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza City as part of a landmark hostage release-ceasefire deal. Their release marked the first stage of a three-phase agreement that will see a total of 33 hostages freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners over 42 days.
The women—Romi Gonen (24), Emily Damari (28), and Doron Steinbrecher (31)—shared harrowing details of their ordeal. They described the terror of their transfer point in Gaza City, surrounded by armed Hamas operatives and a chaotic crowd. “We were scared to death,” one of them told "Channel 12 News", comments cleared for publication by Israeli authorities.
The hostages revealed they had been moved multiple times within Gaza, often confined underground with little exposure to daylight. They were occasionally allowed to watch television or listen to radio news, which kept them informed of the ongoing efforts for their release and the devastating events of October 7, 2023. “We saw your struggle. We heard our families fighting for us,” one said, reflecting on the protests and calls for their freedom.
Damari and Gonen, both wounded during their abduction, endured medical challenges. Damari lost two fingers, and one underwent a medical procedure without anesthesia, echoing earlier accounts from former hostages.
The freed women reunited with their families at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan on Sunday evening. Their loved ones expressed gratitude to the Israeli government, international negotiators, and leaders, including former U.S. presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. “Doron is strong and brave,” said her sister Yamit Ashkenazi, who also survived the October 7 massacre alongside her children.
Amid relief, the families called on Israelis to persist in their advocacy for the return of the remaining hostages. “The fact that I returned home doesn’t mean the others don’t have to come home,” Steinbrecher urged.
Hamas confirmed the next stage of the ceasefire deal, with four hostages set to be released on January 25, followed by smaller groups over the next four weeks. Currently, 94 hostages, including 34 confirmed dead, remain in Gaza, alongside two Israeli civilians and the body of an IDF soldier abducted in 2014.
The release of Gonen, Damari, and Steinbrecher symbolizes hope amidst the ongoing tragedy. “We are the Israeli nation, a special nation that wants peace,” said Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of Romi Gonen. “Let us hold hands and win.”
The ceasefire continues to be a fragile yet crucial step toward bringing more captives home.