(NewsNation) — Israeli hostages have been handed over to the Red Cross, signaling the start of Israel and Hamas’ three-phase ceasefire deal, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.
Three Israeli women — Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari — were received in Gaza, in good health, and transported to Israel. They were reunited with family members and underwent medical evaluations.
According to President Joe Biden, four more women will be released in seven days. Three additional hostages will be released every seven days thereafter — including at least two American citizens — as part of phase 1 of the deal.
Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in return, according to a statement from the its prison service, the Associated Press and New York Times reported.
The ceasefire deal was supposed to take effect at 1:30 a.m. ET but was delayed by nearly three hours until Hamas released the list of hostage names to Israeli officials.
Two American citizens, Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen, are on the list of hostages to be released in the first phase, which lasts six weeks, but they are not expected to be freed on the first day of the ceasefire, Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer told NewsNation.
He cannot say exactly when they will be released. No members of the Biden administration are in the region, Finer said.
French citizens Ofer Kalderon and Ohad Yahalomi are also among the 33 hostages, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. Palestinians are expected to be able to return to their homes during the first phase.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a statement via X following the safe return of the three hostages Sunday.
“Romi, Doron and Emily – an entire nation embraces you, with congratulations on your homecoming,” it read.
“This moment was achieved thanks to the sacrifice and fighting of our heroic fighters – the heroes of Israel. I promise: We will bring everyone home!”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog visited the Western Wall on Sunday to pray for the release of all hostages.
“With God’s help, we will see the hostages return, today and until we see every last one of them as per the signed agreement,” Herzog said.
“I wish to share in the pain and offer a heartfelt embrace to all the families enduring these very difficult days, as we are in a deal that also releases murderers. But there is no greater ‘Mitzvah’ (commandment) than redeeming captives.”
Names of hostages to be released
The Times of Israel and Jerusalem Post reported the names of the 33 people set to be released in the deal.
They are:
- Liri Albag
- Itzhik Elgarat
- Karina Ariev
- Ohad Ben-Ami
- Ariel Bibas
- Yarden Bibas
- Kfir Bibas
- Shiri Silberman Bibas
- Agam Berger
- Romi Gonen
- Danielle Gilboa
- Emily Damari
- Sagui Dekel-Chen
- Yair Horn
- Omer Wenkert
- Alexander Troufanov
- Arbel Yehud
- Ohad Yahalomi
- Eliya Cohen
- Or Levy
- Naama Levy
- Oded Lifshitz
- Gadi Moshe Moses
- Avera Mengistu
- Shlomo Mansur
- Keith Siegel
- Tsahi Idan
- Ofer Calderon
- Tal Shoham
- Doron Steinbrecher
- Omer Shem-Tov
- Hisham Al Sayed
- Eli Sharabi
The process for releasing the remaining American hostages, including those who have died, is ongoing.
The temporary ceasefire is set to become permanent during the second phase. The third phase will involve the return of dead hostages and reconstruction in Gaza.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal reached
The ceasefire deal was reached earlier this week and officially took effect Jan. 19.
Netanyahu said in a statement that the decision was made after “examining all the political, security and humanitarian aspects, and with the understanding that the proposed transaction supports the achievement of the war’s goals.”
Both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have claimed credit for the deal.
The pause in fighting comes after more than a year of conflict and a humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
Israel says 405 soldiers have been killed in the conflict, while Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed. It is not clear how many of those are combatants and how many are civilians.
NewsNation’s Ashley Soriano and the Associated Press contributed to this story.