Combination images of Palestinian freed prisoners (L) waving from a Red Cross bus as they arrive in the outskirts of Ramallah on Jan. 20 in the occupied West Bank; Israeli hostages exiting a vehicle to be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross during an exchange in Gaza City on Jan. 19. Photos: John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images; AFP screen grab via Getty Images
The Gaza ceasefire saw three hostages held by Hamas since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel released on Sunday, along with 90 Palestinian prisoners.
The big picture: The first hostage release since November 2023 saw Israelis Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher and dual British-Israeli national Emily Damar freed, while Israel released a group of prisoners mostly comprising women and minors in the first hostage-for-prisoner swaps to occur since the ceasefire began Sunday.
The released Israeli hostages leave a van before boarding an Israeli Air Force military transport helicopter near Reim in southern Israel on Jan. 19. Photo: Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images
Supporters and relatives of hostages held captive in the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas militants, watch a live television broadcast on the release of Israeli hostages, at the Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, on Jan. 19. Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images
Flashback: Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal officially signed in Doha
