Video: Three Israeli captives reunite with families following ceasefire agreement

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Released hostages (L-R) Doron Steinbrecher, Emily Damari and Romi Gonen reunite with their mothers shortly after returning to Israel after 471 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza, January 19, 2025. (IDF)

Hamas, through its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, has handed over three Israeli captives—Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher—to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of the first phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal.

The handover took place at Saraya Square in central Gaza City and was confirmed by the Israeli military, which reported that the captives were in good health.

Credit: Times of Israel

The ceasefire officially began at 11:15 a.m. local time on Sunday, following a delay caused by disputes over the release list of captives.

This agreement is part of efforts to halt the devastating conflict that has claimed nearly 47,000 lives in Gaza, primarily women and children, and resulted in over 110,700 injuries, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli offensive, which began on October 7, 2023, led to the killing of at least 46,913 Palestinians, over 11,000 people missing and caused widespread destruction across the region.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis has been described as one of the worst in recent history, with severe impacts on the elderly, children, and displaced populations.

In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Separately, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning its military actions in Gaza.

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