What were the contents of the brown bags given to Israeli hostages freed by Hamas?
Three hostages, including Emily Damari, Romi Goren, and Doron Steinbrecher, were the first to be released under the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
According to Hebrew-language media, the three Israeli hostages released in the first phase of the cease-fire deal with Hamas were all seen carrying paper "gift bags" with the terror organization's logo. The bags reportedly contained a map of Gaza, photos of the women from their time in captivity, and certificates reading "release decision."
On Sunday, Emily Damari, Romi Goren, and Doron Steinbrecher, who were kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attacks, returned to Israel as part of a cease-fire deal. After spending over 15 months in captivity, the three women have been reunited with their families.
According to CNN, a representative for Goren's family stated that her bag contained a necklace, which was confiscated by the Israel Security Agency after it was given to her by Hamas.
"Emily, who was released, is doing better than expected, according to her mother, Mandy Damari. The Hostage and Missing Families Forum released a statement from Mandy, who said that Emily is the happiest girl in the world and has her life back."
Netanyahu was thanked by Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, for securing the release of Damari, a British citizen.
Steinbrecher's family thanked Israel and President Trump for their support in a statement released by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.
"We express our heartfelt appreciation to the people of Israel for their warm welcome, unwavering support, and the strength they provided us during our most challenging times. Additionally, we thank President Trump for his substantial contribution and support, which greatly impacted us."
According to reports, a Hamas official confirmed that four of the seven remaining Israeli female hostages will be released on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Nearly 2,000 Israeli prisoners and detainees will be released from the West Bank and Gaza in exchange for Hamas gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza over the next six weeks.
In exchange for Damari, Goren and Steinbrecher, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners, causing crowds in the West Bank to cheer and wave Hamas flags in celebration of their return.
On Tuesday, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi announced his resignation as Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and requested to leave his position later this year.
"Today (Tuesday), I informed the Minister of Defense that I will be leaving my role on March 6th, 2025, after recognizing my responsibility for the IDF's failure on October 7th and at a time when the IDF has significant achievements and is in the process of implementing the agreement to release our hostages," Halevi stated in a released IDF statement.
"I will continue to investigate the events of October 7th and enhance the IDF's preparedness for security threats until further notice."
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed gratitude to the Chief of Staff for his service and contributions to the IDF, particularly in the challenging war that the country faced.
Netanyahu praised Halevi for his long-standing service and attributed some of Israel's "remarkable accomplishments" to him.
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