THE exact date that the next batch of Israeli hostages will be freed has been confirmed by Hamas.
The next step of the Gaza ceasefire deal will see more captives being released in just a few days, bringing a glimmer of hope to families anxiously awaiting the return of their loved ones.
GettyHamas said the next batch of hostages will be released on January 25[/caption]
GettyOne image appears to show British hostage Emily – with a bandaged hand – getting out of the van after Palestinian Hamas militants handed over the three victims[/caption]
AlamyRomi Gonen, 24, pictured hugging family members after she was released by Hamas on Sunday[/caption]
ReutersThe first released hostages are greeted by Israeli soldiers following their arrival in Israel[/caption]
EPAPeople watch a live stream on big screen that reports on the release of three Israeli female hostages[/caption]
The confirmation follows earlier confusion after a Hamas spokesperson suggested the release would be delayed by a day.
But the terror group’s official statement now affirms that four hostages will walk free this coming Saturday, January 25, with the next releases occurring each week for the following four weeks.
A total of 33 hostages, including 12 women and children, 10 men over 50, and 11 younger men, will be freed in a phased operation that culminates in the return of 14 hostages after six weeks.
The first phase of the ceasefire deal, which was approved by Israel’s security cabinet after intense deliberations, saw brave Brit hostage Emily Damari and two more women released on Sunday.
Emily lost two fingers after being shot by Hamas during the October 7 attack on her kibbutz, Kfar Aza, where she was ambushed.
Her long-awaited release comes as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds after months of relentless warfare.
The truce was nearly derailed in the final hours of negotiations, but hostages were exchanged as part of the deal, marking the first step toward a tenuous pause in hostilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear this ceasefire is temporary, emphasising: “We are committed to dismantling Hamas and bringing every hostage home.”
The reunion of the hostages with their families in southern Israel was a moment of raw emotion.
The three women – Emily Damari, 28, Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 – hugged their mothers tightly after being handed over by Red Cross teams to Israeli Defense Forces personnel.
Emily is now “in high spirits and on the road to recovery,” her mum has said.
The news came as Mandy Damari gave an emotional first statement on Monday after Emily’s release from her horror 471-day captivity by Hamas.
She said: “I’m delighted to be able to tell you that Emily is in high spirits and on the road to recovery.
“As you will have seen last night, she is an amazingly strong and resilient young woman.”
In her plea to the world, the mum added: “Please keep on fighting for the remaining 94 hostages who need to come home.
But before escaping terror hell, Emily, Romi and Doron were handed Hamas “gift bags” containing haunting mementos of their captivity.
The bags reportedly included photos of the women during their imprisonment and a so-called “certificate” – acting as a grim reminder of their 15-month nightmare in Gaza.
AFPSupporters and relatives of hostages held captive in the Gaza Strip get emotional at the news of the hostages in Hostages Square[/caption]
AFPSupporters and relatives of hostages react while watching a live television broadcast on the release of Israeli hostages[/caption]
The Red Cross heading to pick up the first three hostagesSky News
X/IDFInside the helicopter that’s brought the hostages home[/caption]
The twisted spectacle was captured in a propaganda video released by Hamas on Sunday.
It showed the three terrified women being mobbed by crowds as they were transferred to Red Cross officials at a central square in Gaza City.
Masked operatives with machine guns flanked the hostages, while hundreds of Palestinians gathered to watch the tense exchange.
The footage paints a chilling picture of the ordeal these women endured, with their fear evident as they climbed out of a Hamas van into Red Cross vehicles.
Comfort items, including a leopard-print blanket for Romi Gonen, were provided in IAF helicopters as part of efforts to ease their return.
But the harrowing footage of their transfer from Hamas terrorists to the Red Cross casts a dark shadow over the relief of their release.
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