Relatives of the three Israeli hostages who are due to be released from the Gaza Strip later Sunday as part of a ceasefire deal have confirmed they expect the women to be freed, according to media reports Israel.
Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher, all Israeli civilians, are expected to be released from captivity during the day, the Hostage Families Forum also confirmed.
Damari's father, a dual British national, told Israeli news site ynet that he would finally be able to kiss his daughter, a feeling he could not describe.
He said her family had waited more than 470 days for news of her release, calling it “unbelievable” and “continuing torture” in comments to the British media. .
Damari was kidnapped from the Nova music festival near the border with the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023 but initially tried to escape with her friends in a car, according to reports. He was shot in the hand during the Hamas-led attack on the festival and communities in southern Israel that day.
The other two women were kidnapped from their homes in Kibbutz Kfar Aza as hostages on the same day.
They are expected to be released at 1400 GMT, according to the Israeli government.
Hamas is expected to hand over the three hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is then to take them to a special military unit in the Gaza Strip.
From there, the women are to be taken to a military facility in Israel near the Gaza border for an initial examination before being taken to hospital, where they are to meet their families.
Prisoner transport buses park in front of Israel's Ofer military prison to release 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. Ilia Efimovich/dpa
