A large number of aid trucks started to arrive in Gaza, a region severely impacted by Israeli airstrikes and shelling following Hamas' terrorist assault across the border on October 7, 2023.


Israelis marked the return on Sunday evening of the first group of hostages from Gaza, mere hours after a long-anticipated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect, prompting many displaced Palestinians to begin making their way home on foot after 15 months of intense conflict.


Many are hopeful that this hard-won pause in hostilities will lead to a lasting cessation of fighting that has resulted in over 46,800 Palestinian deaths due to Israeli military actions in Gaza, according to local health authorities, and facilitate the reconstruction of the territory, much of which lies in ruin due to severe Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire. President Joe Biden praised the safe return of three female hostages — the first in a coordinated effort expected to unfold over the coming days — stating that the ceasefire in Gaza was achieved "due to the pressure Israel exerted on Hamas, supported by the United States."


"Today, the guns in Gaza have fallen silent," Biden declared during televised comments on his last full day in office. He noted that the three hostages "seem to be in good health."


Footage released by the Israeli military depicted the young women exiting a Red Cross vehicle, smiling and embracing awaiting Israeli soldiers. They were subsequently reunited with their mothers in Israel — with each mother-daughter pair sharing an emotional embrace — before undergoing medical evaluations at a hospital near Tel Aviv. The released captives were abducted on October 7, 2023, during Hamas-led attacks that resulted in roughly 1,200 deaths and around 250 individuals being taken hostage, marking a significant escalation in an enduring conflict.


The three women who were freed are: Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a veterinary nurse kidnapped from kibbutz Kfar Aza; Emily Damari, 28, a British Israeli citizen also taken from the kibbutz and a prominent member of the youth community there; and Romi Gonen, 24, who was abducted from the Nova Music Festival. 



The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group advocating for the families of captives, reported that Damari lost two fingers during the events of October 7.


At Sheba Medical Center, where the hostages were taken, staff allowed them time to reconnect with other family members and friends at the hospital, indicating that none of the women needed immediate medical treatment.


"I understand, we all understand, they have endured unimaginable suffering," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked to military personnel. "They are emerging from darkness into light."


On Sunday, hundreds of aid trucks began entering Gaza, where a severe humanitarian crisis has developed, with essential infrastructure having been decimated during Israel's military operations, which commenced following the attacks on October 7.


Gazans seized the rare moment to assess what, if anything, remained of their homes after Israel's extensive offensive, which left most of the enclave's buildings in ruins and displaced nearly all of its 2 million residents. Amid the widespread destruction, some took to the streets in celebration to recognize the start of the fragile ceasefire.


The ceasefire came after a delay of several hours during which at least 19 individuals were killed in Gaza, according to the enclave's Civil Defense agency, as Israeli forces maintained assaults on various areas of Gaza prior to the truce coming into effect.

A cheerful young boy was seen maneuvering a cart pulled by a donkey, exclaiming: “To Rafah, to Rafah."

In Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, a crowd erupted in cheers and applause upon hearing the news that hostages were in the care of the Red Cross shortly after 5 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) and had safely entered Israeli territory. On Monday morning, Israel's Prison Service reported that the initial group of 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees had been released as part of the agreement. According to the Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, all 90 individuals are women and children. For each hostage released, 30 Palestinian prisoners will also be freed—50 if the hostage is a soldier. In seven days, four more live hostages are anticipated to be released, as stated by the coordinator for hostages, returnees, and missing persons in Netanyahu’s office. Additionally, families of the hostages will be notified of the names of those being released 24 hours before that date. Biden indicated that he expects at least two Americans to be released in this first phase, as 33 hostages are set to be freed in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The first two Americans to be released are expected to be Keith Siegel, 65, on Day 14 of the ceasefire, followed by Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, who is injured, according to a senior administration official along with a diplomatic official. The remaining five Americans, whether alive or deceased, will not be released until the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, according to officials. Among them is expected to be a dual national, Edan Alexander, 20, whose condition remains unknown. As of now, 94 individuals taken during the events of October 7, 2023, are still believed to be held captive by Hamas, along with four individuals who have been in captivity since 2014. At least 34 hostages taken during the Hamas-led assaults are reported to be dead, along with two abductees from 2014 who are also confirmed deceased. The ceasefire is intended to halt over a year of continuous Israeli bombings and to facilitate the delivery of urgently needed aid, with the World Health Organization estimating that as many as 600 trucks daily could enter the enclave. The humanitarian crisis, characterized by severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, along with widespread violence, has thrown many into dire circumstances with rampant hunger and illness. If all aspects of the ceasefire unfold as scheduled, it would offer relief—and potentially closure—to the families of hostages enduring harrowing conditions in the enclave, as well as to Palestinian families with loved ones held by the Israeli military. Discussions for a second stage are expected to commence by the 16th day of the first phase. Biden mentioned on Wednesday that this round would seek to achieve a “lasting end to the war,” with both the outgoing administration and President-elect Donald Trump advocating for a resolution to the conflict ahead of Monday's presidential inauguration.

Hundreds of aid trucks were beginning to enter Gaza, which was devastated by Israeli airstrikes and shelling after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border terrorist attack.