Home Conflict Gaza Celebrations Erupt as Ceasefire Takes Hold, Hostages Reunited with Families

Gaza Celebrations Erupt as Ceasefire Takes Hold, Hostages Reunited with Families

Released hostages Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari are greeted by Israeli soldiers

In a dramatic turning point for the beleaguered region, jubilant Palestinians flooded the streets on Sunday to celebrate a ceasefire deal that has abruptly halted the brutal fighting in Gaza. As celebrations ignited in the southern city of Khan Younis, three female hostages freed by Hamas were joyously reunited with their mothers inside Israel, offering a glimmer of hope amid the devastation.

Crowds in Khan Younis erupted in cheers and chants, their voices echoing against the backdrop of bombed-out buildings. Meanwhile, in the north of Gaza, where the fighting had reached its most intense levels, residents cautiously navigated the narrow paths of a landscape transformed into rubble and twisted metal.

“I feel like at last I found some water to drink after being lost in the desert for 15 months,” said Aya, a displaced woman from Gaza City, who has taken refuge in Deir Al-Balah for over a year. Her sentiment resonated deeply with many who have endured profound hardship throughout the conflict.

In Tel Aviv, the atmosphere was equally charged as hundreds gathered outside the defense headquarters, eyes glued to a live broadcast from Gaza. A giant screen displayed the emotional moment when the three hostages were escorted into a Red Cross vehicle, surrounded by armed Hamas fighters. The crowd cheered, embraced, and shed tears as they witnessed the poignant reunion.

Soon after, the Israeli military confirmed that Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari had met with their mothers at a designated point within Israel, not far from the kibbutz and nearby music festival where they were abducted during the October 7 Hamas raid. A video released later showed the trio in good health, with Damari, who lost two fingers in the attack, smiling while embracing her mother, her bandaged hand raised in a gesture of resilience.

“I would like you to tell them: Romi, Doron, and Emily – an entire nation embraces you. Welcome home,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a phone call with a military commander as the hostages crossed the border.

Meanwhile, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, buses stood ready for the anticipated release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli detention. According to Hamas, the first group to be freed in exchange for the hostages includes 69 women and 21 teenage boys, marking a significant step in the complex negotiations.

The ceasefire, which marks the first phase of a truce in the 15-month-old conflict, took effect following a brief but intense barrage of Israeli airstrikes that left 13 people dead, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel attributed the late delivery of the hostages’ names by Hamas to technical delays, while Hamas countered that the situation was complicated.

“Today the guns in Gaza have gone silent,” U.S. President Joe Biden stated, reflecting on the long and arduous journey toward this moment. On his final full day in office, he welcomed the truce that had evaded U.S. diplomacy for over a year, adding, “We’ve reached this point today because of the pressure Israel built on Hamas, backed by the United States.”

The ceasefire agreement calls for an end to hostilities, the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the release of 33 of nearly 100 Israeli and foreign hostages over the next six weeks, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

As the echoes of celebration reverberate across Gaza and Israel, the world watches closely, hopeful for a lasting peace in a region long marred by conflict.