April 25, 2026 5:48 am

FOCUS | First 3 hostages arrive in Israel under Gaza truce deal

TEL AVIV, Jan. 20, 2025 (Xinhua) — People gather to welcome the first three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity at a square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 19, 2025. Three Israeli women, released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, arrived in Israel on Sunday, the first day that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect, according to Israeli officials. The three — Emily Damari, 28, a British-Israeli; Doron Steinbrecher, 30, a veterinary nurse; and Romi Gonen, 23, abducted from the Nova music festival — were finally released after 471 days in captivity.

Palestinians celebrate the release of some 90 prisoners set free by Israel in the early hours of January 20, 2025 upon their arrival in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah. Crowds cheered, chanted and honked car horns as two buses carrying the prisoners arrived in Beitunia following their release as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal that began on January 19 and saw three Israeli hostages freed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by JOHN WESSELS / AFP)

Hamas Hostages Freed by Israel

As part of the recent ceasefire agreement, Israel has released 90 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of three Israeli hostages by Hamas.

The released prisoners include women and teenagers, with the youngest being 15 years old.

This exchange is the initial phase of a broader plan, which aims to release a total of 33 Israeli hostages over six weeks.

In return, Israel is expected to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners if the agreement proceeds as intended.

The ceasefire and prisoner exchanges have been facilitated through mediation efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.