Three hostages arrive in Israel from Gaza as the fragile ceasefire crosses the first hurdle – National

The first three hostages freed from Gaza have arrived in Israel, the army announced Sunday, hours after the fracas cease-fire between Israel and Hamas prevailed. Their mothers were waiting to meet them.

The footage shows three women walking towards Red Cross vehicles in Gaza City, surrounded by a crowd that swelled to thousands as people clutched cellphones and climbed into cars. The vehicles were followed by masked, armed men wearing green Hamas headbands and fighting to guard the handover.

Three women were taken for medical evaluation. “They appear to be in good health,” President Joe Biden said in brief remarks.

Pictures released by the Israeli army show them walking between the Red Cross and soldiers, with one of the women, 28-year-old Emily Damari, later raising her bandaged hand in triumph. The military said she lost two fingers in the attack that sparked the war.

In Tel Aviv, thousands of people gathered to watch the news on big screens erupted in applause. For months, many gathered in the square to demand a cease-fire agreement. The women’s relatives jumped, clapped and cried.

“An entire nation is embracing you,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were also released. Gonen was abducted from the Nova music festival, while the others were abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Az. Damari is an Israeli-British dual citizen, and Steinbrecher has Israeli and Romanian citizenship.

The ceasefire ushers in the first six weeks of calm and raises hopes for the release of the nearly 100 remaining hostages and an end to the devastating 15-month war. A last-minute delay by Hamas delayed the start of the truce by almost three hours, but a spokesman for Hamas’ military wing later said it was committed to a ceasefire.

Even before the ceasefire took effect, celebrations broke out across Gaza and some Palestinians headed home.

Next up was the release of 90 Palestinian prisoners later on Sunday. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, families and friends gathered excitedly as cars honked and people waved the Palestinian flag.

The truce, which began at 11:15 a.m. local time, is the first step toward a final end to the conflict and the return of hostages kidnapped in the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.

In the interim between the planned ceasefire and the moment the ceasefire took hold, Israeli fire killed at least 26 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It was not stated whether they were civilians or fighters. The army has warned people to stay away from Israeli forces as they withdraw to a buffer zone inside Gaza.

Israel’s hard-line national security minister, meanwhile, said his Jewish Power faction was leaving the government to protest the ceasefire. The departure of Itamar Ben-Gvir weakens Netanyahu’s coalition, but will not affect the truce.

In a separate development, Israel announced that it had found the body of Oron Shaul, a soldier killed in the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, in a special operation in Gaza. The bodies of Shaul and another soldier, Hadar Goldin, remained after the 2014 war.

What’s next

The ceasefire deal was announced last week after a year of mediation by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Both the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump’s team have pressed for a deal before Monday’s inauguration.

Netanyahu warned on Saturday that he has Trump’s support to continue the fight if necessary.

In the 42-day first phase of the truce, 33 hostages should be gradually returned and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees released. The next hostage release is expected on Saturday.

There should also be an increase in humanitarian aid, with hundreds of trucks entering Gaza daily, far more than Israel previously allowed. The UN’s World Food Program said trucks had started entering through two crossings. Biden’s top Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, told CBS that 800 trucks are expected on Sunday.

This is only the second ceasefire of the war, longer and more consistent than the one-week pause in November 2023, with the potential to end the fighting for good.

‘Joy mixed with pain’

Relief and sadness were felt throughout Gaza. Tens of thousands were killed in the fighting, large areas were destroyed and most of the population was displaced.

“This ceasefire was joy mixed with pain, because my son was killed in this war,” said Rami Nofal, a displaced man from Gaza City.

Masked militants appeared at some celebrations, where crowds chanted slogans in support of them, Associated Press reporters in Gaza reported. Hamas-run police have begun deploying in public after being largely subdued by Israeli airstrikes.

Some families started home on foot, their belongings loaded onto donkey carts.

In the southern city of Rafah, residents returned to find massive destruction. Some found human remains, including skulls, in the ruins.

“It’s like watching a Hollywood horror movie,” resident Mohamed Abu Taha said as he surveyed the ruins of his family’s home.

Israeli forces were already withdrawing from the area. Residents of Beit Lahiya and Jabaliya in northern Gaza told the AP they did not see Israeli troops there.

Israelis divided over ceasefire deal

In Israel, people remained divided over the agreement.

Asher Pizem, 35, from the city of Sderot, said the deal only postponed the next conflict with Hamas. He also criticized Israel for allowing aid into Gaza, saying it would contribute to the resurgence of the militant group.

“They will take their time and attack again,” he said as he surveyed the smoldering ruins of Gaza from a small hill in southern Israel with other Israelis gathered there.

When Biden was asked Sunday if he was concerned about Hamas’ regrouping, he said no.

Immense toll

The toll of the war was enormous, and now new details will emerge. The head of Gaza’s Rafah municipality, Ahmed al-Sufi, said much of the infrastructure, including water, electricity and the road network, had been destroyed, along with thousands of homes.

More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half of the victims, but does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.

The Hamas attack on southern Israel that sparked the war killed more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the militants kidnapped about 250 others. More than 100 hostages were freed during a week-long ceasefire in November 2023.

About 90% of the population of Gaza has been displaced. Reconstruction – if the ceasefire reaches its final stage – will take at least several years. Major questions about the future of Gaza, political and otherwise, remain unresolved.

Magdy reported from Cairo, and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press reporters Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Sam Mednick in Ramallah in the West Bank and Mohammad Jahjouh in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip contributed to this report.