On January 19, 2025, Israel announced a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip after Hamas handed over a list of three hostages to be released the same day. The ceasefire was established at 11:15 a.m. local time, although the truce was originally scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. The delay occurred because Hamas did not manage to send the list of hostages in time.
The press service of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel officially received this list. According to journalists, it is about three women who became victims of terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel. The hostages, who are due to return home the same day, are a symbol of the human pain and suffering that accompanied this attack. Among those released is 24-year-old Romy Gonen, who was captured during the Nova festival. She shared with her family that she was wounded and three of her friends were killed in the attack. The other two women, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher, were taken hostage directly from their homes in Kibbutz Kfar Az.
This act of releasing the hostages was an important step in the process of de-escalating the conflict, but future steps towards a lasting peace remain in question.
