Emotions in Tel-Aviv
An immense clamor, hugs, and tears flowed as thousands of people gathered in the place known as “the hostages’ place” in Tel-Aviv, welcoming the different stages of the release of the first three captives handed over by Hamas on Sunday, January 19. The young women, whose names had been made public earlier that day, arrived in Israel by late afternoon as part of the agreement reached between their country and the Islamist organization on January 15. Doron Steinbrecher (31 years old), Romi Gonen (24 years old), and the British-Israeli Emily Damari (28 years old) were finally reunited with their country and loved ones after an endless captivity of 471 days.
Anticipation and Uncertainty
During the next six weeks, they are expected to be joined by thirty of the hostages eligible for release in the initial phase of the three-part agreement. However, until the actual return of the young women, the Israelis gathered in the square dared not fully believe in good news. Sunday morning brought further delays as the ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave was postponed by two hours when Hamas failed to provide the list of the first releases at the scheduled time. Despite the delays, the volunteers, like Vered Peer, kept their hopes in check as the Al-Qods Palestinian television broadcast images on a giant screen.
*Note: No images were mentioned in the original article.*
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