First Three Hostages Repatriated to Israel as Ceasefire Agreement with Hamas Takes Effect – One America News Network
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
10:32 AM – Sunday, January 19, 2025
Three Israeli women who had been held captive by Hamas for 15 months have finally been released as part of a ceasefire agreement.
Advertisement
Emily Darami, 28, a British national, Romi Gonen, 24, and 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher were handed over to the International Committee for the Red Cross today.
Gonen was taken hostage on October 7th, 2023, while attending the Nova Music Festival. During a brutal attack, she was shot and kidnapped by Hamas militants, who killed approximately 1,200 others and took 251 hostages.
Clutching her phone, Gonen spoke with her mother while escaping, saying, “They shot me, Mom, and I’m bleeding. Everyone in the car is bleeding,” according to an audio recording acquired by the Daily Mail.
“It was incredibly difficult for me to step into Romi’s room for 47 days. Now, we are in this room and the emotions are overwhelming,” expressed Gonen’s father, Eitan, who added that his daughter is “a wonderful person, full of heart and love… a warrior for justice.”
Eitan was filmed joyfully dancing and crying upon receiving the news that his daughter had returned home to Israel, a moment that went viral on social media.
Steinbrecher, who holds Israeli-Romanian nationality, was abducted on October 7th, 2023, while she was in hiding under her bed. She celebrated her 31st birthday while in captivity.
Damarai, a British-Israeli national, was kidnapped on the same date after Hamas militants shot and killed her beloved dog, Chooka. During the chaotic incident, she sustained a gunshot wound to her hand.
The ceasefire was initiated shortly after President-elect Donald Trump dispatched his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to encourage both parties to reach an agreement before Inauguration Day.
The incoming 47th president had previously warned of severe consequences if hostages were not freed by the time he took office.
The three women are the first of 33 hostages expected to be released in the initial phase of the fragile ceasefire deal, which prioritizes the release of women, children, and the elderly.
Additional hostages are scheduled for release in small groups each Sunday as the ceasefire progresses.
Footage captured during the hostages’ transport shows vehicles surrounded by armed Hamas militants in black balaclavas wielding large firearms.
Close to 100 individuals remain hostage in Gaza, and it remains uncertain how many are still alive.
Stay informed! Get breaking news alerts delivered directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisements below
