Emily Damari among hostages to be released today, says Hamas

British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari is on the list of hostages to be freed today, according to a Hamas statement.
Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher will also be freed.

The ceasefire due to start at 8.30am local time was delayed  after  Hamas failed to release the names in time.
Emily, 28  the only British citizen still held hostage, was abducted from her home in southern Israel. Her mother, Mandy, was spared death or capture when a terrorist’s bullet jammed the lock of the room where she was hiding. Emily suffered gunshot wounds in the attack, which were thought to be potentially fatal. Emily’s grandfather Sidney Moss was for many years the managing director of the Jewish Chronicle. 

Romi Gonen, 24 was abducted while trying to flee from the Supernova festival. Her mother, Merav, has been an active advocate for her release, appealing to the UN for help.

Doron Steinbrecher 31, a veterinary nurse, was in her apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Aza when the attack occurred. At 10.30 am on October 7, she sent a voice message to friends saying, “They’ve arrived, they have me.”

Earlier this morning, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he “instructed the Israel Defense Forces that the ceasefire, which is scheduled to take effect at 8:30 a.m., will not begin until Israel has the list of hostages to be released, which Hamas has pledged to provide.”

The IDF and Israeli Air Force fighter jets attacked Hamas terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning “as usual,” the army said.

Hamas attributed the delay in sending the names to “technical reasons,” reiterating “its commitment to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.”

Israel’s Health Ministry has formulated a new protocol for receiving and treating the captives due to be released, based on lessons learned from the November 2023 exchange of hostages for Palestinian terrorists.

The protocol has detailed guidelines for medical examinations, mental health care, privacy protection and long-term support for returnees and their families, emphasising personalized care and respect for dignity.