Esther Salifu
Three female hostages, held captive by Hamas for over a year, were finally reunited with their mothers inside Israel, marking a significant milestone in the 15-month-old conflict. The emotional reunion was made possible by a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on January 19, 2025.
As the news of the hostage release spread, crowds gathered in the southern city of Khan Younis, cheering and chanting as armed Hamas fighters drove through the streets. In the north of the territory, which had been devastated by intense fighting, people cautiously made their way through the rubble-strewn roads, relieved that the fighting had finally stopped.
For Aya, a displaced woman from Gaza City, the ceasefire brought a sense of hope and renewal. “I feel like at last I found some water to drink after being lost in the desert for 15 months,” she said. “I feel alive again.”
The three hostages, Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, were released in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners, including 69 women and 21 teenage boys. The Israeli military confirmed that the hostages had been reunited with their mothers at a meeting point inside Israel.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered after months of diplomatic efforts, calls for an end to hostilities, the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the release of 33 Israeli and foreign hostages still held by Hamas. In return, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in its jails.
The truce has been welcomed by world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Biden hailed the agreement as a significant step towards peace, while Starmer praised the release of the hostages and called for the remaining phases of the ceasefire deal to be implemented in full.
The United Nations has also welcomed the ceasefire, with UN Women releasing a statement calling it a “crucial step towards stability and peace” for women and girls in Gaza. The organization noted that over 1 million women and children in Gaza have been subjected to Israeli attacks over the past 15 months, and that the ceasefire brings relief to those who have lived under continued bombardment.
As the ceasefire holds, attention is turning to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where thousands of people have been displaced and essential services have collapsed. The United Nations has urged Israel to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, and aid agencies are working to deliver food, shelter, and medical care to those in need.
