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It is done: the three Israeli women have been released – VIDEO hostages square

Update – Former hostages Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher crossed the border from the Gaza Strip into Israel after 471 days of captivity by Hamas. Now the Israeli army will take them to a secure facility already inside Jewish territory and for added security they will be monitored by a medical team.

It is time for the release of the three Israeli women. Among the Palestinian prisoners released in return, also minors and prominent political figures.

The release of the three female Hamas hostages in the Gaza Strip, Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher, now seems a matter of minutes. The Red Cross has already reached the agreed point to pick up the prisoners, but officials from the IDF, the Israeli army, have denied that the handover has already taken place, despite initial rumours. Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher were seen walking unaided and without aids, an assumption that suggests they are in good health

Palestinian prisoners being exchanged

Meanwhile, the 90 Palestinian prisoners scheduled for release include 69 women and several minors. The youngest is Mahmoud Aliowat, only 15 years old. Prominent names include Khalida Jarrar, 62, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (FPLP), and Dalal Khaseeb, sister of Saleh Arouri, a former Hamas leader killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut in January 2024.

Abla Abdelrasoul, wife of FPLP leader Ahmad Saadat, is also among the prisoners. Saadat, detained in Israel, is known to have ordered the murder of Israeli minister Rehavam Ze’evi in 2001.

The delicacy of the operation

The exchange operation is taking place in an atmosphere of tension and utmost caution. The IDF closed communication routes in the border area to ensure the safety and privacy of the hostages during the transfer.

Israelis in the streets to celebrate the release of the first three hostages Live video