The Hamas terror organization has finally provided Israel with the names of three female hostages set to be freed later today. This development has brought quiet to Gaza’s battlegrounds, with weapons falling silent as a fragile ceasefire—long sought after—began following a short delay on Sunday morning.

Families of the three women—Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31—confirmed their imminent release.

This marks the first exchange of captives since late November 2023. Of the people kidnapped during the October 7, 2023, attacks, 94 remain in captivity alongside three others held for nearly a decade.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s office disclosed that it had received the names from Hamas late Sunday morning.

The office announced the ceasefire’s start at 11:15 a.m., following a thorough review of the names by defense officials.

Although Hamas released the names it claimed were sent to Israel, the Prime Minister’s Office initially requested that media outlets refrain from publicizing them until they received confirmation from the families.

The ceasefire and planned release signaled the culmination of international efforts spanning a year to achieve a truce between Hamas and Israel. The goal was to halt the hostilities ignited by the October 7 attacks and secure the freedom of the remaining captives. Over the next 42 days, 33 more hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Despite these developments, the process, divided into three distinct stages, remains fraught with uncertainty. Many fear that the fragile agreement might collapse before completion, potentially leaving numerous individuals in captivity and dragging Gaza back into conflict.

Tensions ran high in the hours leading up to the truce, as Hamas missed two deadlines to submit the list of hostages. Israel, in turn, refused to cease its strikes until the names were provided, raising fears that the agreement might unravel before implementation.

Under the ceasefire arrangement finalized in Doha on Friday and approved by Israel early Shabbos, Hamas was obligated to supply the list of hostages at least 24 hours before their release, scheduled for Sunday afternoon around 4:30 p.m.

However, the deadline passed without confirmation, and by Sunday morning, the names of the three hostages had still not been shared. Hamas finally provided the names close to 10 a.m.

With the ceasefire originally set to start at 8:30 a.m., Netanyahu had made it clear the night before that military operations would continue until the names were submitted. “Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement,” read a statement from his office. “The sole responsibility lies with Hamas.”

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza persisted Sunday morning, with Hamas-run health authorities reporting at least eight fatalities. The identities of the deceased—whether they were combatants or civilians—could not be independently verified. “The IDF is continuing to strike now in Gaza, as long as Hamas is not fulfilling its obligations to the deal,” said IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari as the ceasefire’s start time passed.

A Hamas insider claimed the delay in submitting the names was due to “technical reasons.” The source explained that Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar needed to approve the list and logistical challenges, such as reliance on physical messengers, compounded the delay. “It takes time to agree on the names and the location of the hostages when IDF planes are still above them,” the source elaborated.

Israel had prepared for the possibility of Hamas launching rocket barrages before the ceasefire, as had occurred in the past. However, no rockets were fired, though two false alarms triggered sirens in areas near Gaza, the IDF confirmed.

After the list was received, Gal Hirsch, tasked with coordinating hostage return efforts, contacted the families of the three women set to be released. Following their liberation, the hostages will be transported to one of three designated IDF complexes near Gaza—Re’im Base, the Kerem Shalom Crossing, or the Erez Crossing.

Upon their arrival at these locations, the freed hostages will meet with IDF personnel, including doctors and mental health professionals, for an initial evaluation and care. They will then be escorted to hospitals to reunite with their families.

The IDF estimates that two hours will elapse between the Red Cross transferring the hostages to IDF troops in Gaza and their departure for hospitals.

Romi Gonen was abducted at the Nova music festival while attempting to flee the attack. Before losing contact, she informed her mother that she had been shot. “It’s official, Romi is on the list. Good luck to all of us,” her sister, Shahaf Gonen, wrote on social media.

Emily Damari, a dual British-Israeli citizen, was taken during Hamas’s October 7 assault on Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where numerous residents were killed, assaulted, or kidnapped. Her final message, sent around 10 a.m. on that day, reported terrorists shooting near her home.

As part of its preparations for the truce, the IDF declared the Nitzana Crossing at the Egypt-Israel border a closed military zone on Shabbos. It also extended military closures in areas near Yad Mordechai and Kerem Shalom until at least January 24.

{Matzav.com Israel}