Doron Steinbrecher, Emily Damari, Romy Gonen
Today, 19 January, Hamas confirmed that three hostages – 28-year-old Emily Damari, 23-year-old Romi Gonen and 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher – will be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. These women fall under the category of humanitarian hostages because they are women, children, elderly or wounded, The Jerusalem Post reports.
The exchange is part of a deal that calls for the release of 33 hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of Gaza. In return, Israel will release 30 Palestinian prisoners for every civilian hostage and 50 for every female Israeli soldier released by Hamas.
The Hostage Families Forum expressed its joy at this important step: “We are pleased to announce that Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emly Damari will be released today. We look forward to their safe return to Israel so that they can be reunited with their families after 471 days in Hamas captivity.”
About the released hostages:
- Doron Steinbrecher is a dual citizen of Israel and Romania. She was abducted on 7 October 2023 in Kfar Azi, hiding under her bed. Her family had previously contacted the Red Cross, concerned that Hamas was not providing her with the necessary medication.
- Emily Damari, a British-Israeli citizen, was abducted from her apartment in Kfar Az. During the abduction, terrorists injured her arm and killed her dog Chuka.
- Romy Gonen – was captured after terrorists attacked the Nova music festival. Her last words before she was taken away were: “Mum, I’ve been shot and I’m bleeding. Everyone in the car is wounded”.
The three hostages are expected to be released today, 19 January, at around 16:00 local time. The Israeli army said they will be released from central Gaza. After their release, they will be medically examined and then transported to hospitals in Israel.
