Released Israeli hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher were reunited with their families after 470 days in captivity. The trio was freed as part of a hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas. According to reports, medical conditions are stable for the released hostages.
The ceasefire agreement, which took effect at 11:15 a.m., also led to the release of 90 Palestinian security prisoners. Israeli forces fired warning shots on Hamas forces operating in the vicinity of its new defensive ceasefire lines.
US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is credited with overseeing the hostage deal. The first phase of the deal began this week, and the released hostages are now back in Israel.
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/2025-01-19/live-updates-838156