Key Event

12m agoSun 19 Jan 2025 at 3:47pm

Israel's military has confirmed that three hostages that had been held by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, are now with IDF soldiers.

Key Event

40m agoSun 19 Jan 2025 at 3:19pm

Hamas has handed three hostages it took during it's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel to the Red Cross in Gaza.

Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed that the handover had taken place.

The Red Cross is expected to take the hostages to an IDF position.

Buildings in Tel Aviv have been lit up with references to the hostages for many months.

Two buildings in in the centre of the city displayed messages mentioning the 98 people being held by Hamas and their 470 days in captivity.

There are IDF personnel, as well as helicopters, in Re'im, near the Gaza border.

There is a military base there. We are expecting the hostages to be taken out of Gaza here.

Key Event

1h agoSun 19 Jan 2025 at 2:35pm

This picture is circuating on the encrypted messaging service, Telegram.

It appears to show the British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari alive.

She is one of the three hostages Hamas said it would be releasing on Sunday, as a ceasefire with Israel begins.

Key Event

1h agoSun 19 Jan 2025 at 2:10pm

The process of transferring three hostages who were taken by Hamas during it's October 7, 2023 attack back to Israel has begun.

A Red Cross convoy has been observed speeding past destroyed buildings in Gaza. Hamas will transfer the three hostages - all women - to the Red Cross, who will then give them to the Israel Defense Force.

At a ceasefire demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, there were several people wearing bright red hats.

From a distance, they look as if they could be emblazoned with 'Make America Great Again' - the catchphrase of the incoming US President Donald Trump.

But as you can see above, they're slightly different.

Despite that, some see strong ties between Trump and the ceasefire and hostage deal being reached.

"This hat represents the saying of Mr Trump, asking the parties to end the war and put an end to the suffering," Michael Avnimelech said.

"I am quite concerned about the internal political powers in Israel that like to continue the war for the sake of war.

"And I belong to those who think that we achieved whatever we needed to achieve, and it's about time - the time was long time ago to turn the page to the next chapter."

The IDF has released some images of where the three hostages will be taken after they're recovered from Hamas. It's location is secret.

It's 3:30pm on Sunday afternoon, local time.

Here's a situation report:

Every Saturday night for many months, 'Hostage Square' has been the focal point for families, friends and supporters of Israelis abducted by Hamas.

Last night it was no different, with emotions heightened on the eve of a ceasefire.

Thousands have gathered in central Tel Aviv to rally behind the hostages.

They're pleading for their release, and urging the Netanyahu Government to think beyond the initial group of 33 hostages who are slated for release in the first phase of this ceasefire process.

There are two main feelings on display - hope and anxiety.

But there's also some anger. It's directed primarily at the Netanyahu Government, which stands accused of delaying a deal.

But it's also levelled at the international community, with Israelis feeling abandoned and isolated during the war.

At one stage on Saturday night, 98 balloons were released - representing the number of Israelis still believed to be held by Hamas.

It's not clear how many are still alive.

There are grave fears for the hostages not in the group of 33 who are set to be freed during the six week ceasefire.

And those gathered in Tel Aviv are promising to continue gathering for them, until all are returned home.

We are getting a lot of questions, and there are a lot about the hostages. I'll answer a few.

Brit has asked: 

What time do we expect the 3 hostages to be released AEST or do we have no idea?

Brit I am allergic to AEST as someone who grew up in Perth and lived in Sydney for around a decade. But I can give you this in AEDT or AWST.  The answer is, some time after 3pm Sunday local time (12am Monday AEDT / 9pm Sunday AWST). So any time from now.

Hamas will give them to the Red Cross, who will then give them to Israeli authorities.

Jay has asked: 

How often will exchanges take place over the six weeks?

Jay is referring to "phase one" of this complicated ceasefire deal. As part of it, Hamas will release 33 hostages and Israel will free 737 Palestinian prisoners from its jails, and a further 1,167 Palestinians detained by the IDF during its ground offensive in Gaza.

If the ceasefire holds, they're going to swap them every weekend.

David has asked:

What will happen to the hostages not included in the list of 33 to be released?

There are plans to release them in later phases of the ceasefire deal, although those are going to be fleshed out more in around 16 days. It's complicated.

Key Event

2h agoSun 19 Jan 2025 at 1:06pm

Aid trucks carrying vital supplies are beginning to enter Gaza, after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Sunday morning local time.

The long lines of trucks had begun queuing at the border in the hours leading up to the ceasefire, carrying food and fuel.

The deal between the two sides requires 600 truckloads of aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of the initial six-week ceasefire, including 50 carrying fuel.

Experts and international organisations have been warning for months of the potential of a famine in parts of Gaza

ABC/Reuters

At what could be the end of 15 months of intense fighting in Gaza, many Palestinians are beginning to return to what remains of their homes.

Drone vision from within the Palestinian territory shows people beginning to re-enter some of the worst-hit areas, where many buildings have been reduced to rubble.

For Gaza, which has seen its health system, infrastructure and entire communities severely damaged, the recovery is going to take a long time.

Despite the monumental task ahead, there were scenes of jubilation on the streets of some communities when the ceasefire came into effect.

At least 13 Palestinians were killed by Israeli artillery and aerial attacks between when the ceasefire was supposed to start, at 8:30am local time, and its actual start time at 11.15am.

ABC journalists stationed at the border with the Palestinian enclave reported seeing and hearing air strikes hitting communities in Gaza.

Israel's military told Reuters it had carried out air and artillery strikes against "terror targets".

Most Palestinians across the Gaza Strip thought the ceasefire was going ahead as planned, and were unaware the Netanyahu government was not implementing it because it had not received the names of the female hostages to be released.

The ceasefire that's been negotiated comprises multiple stages, the first of which will begin on Sunday.

During the first phase of the deal (expected to last several weeks), Israel will free 737 Palestinian prisoners from its jails.

It will also release 1,167 Palestinians detained by the IDF during its ground offensive in Gaza.

The prisoners won't all be freed at once. Israel's government has provided a list of 95 that it says it will release on Sunday.

So who's in line to be released during the first phase?

One of the most high-profile names on the list is Khalida Jarar, a politician and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Palestinian Legislative Council.

She's was detained in December 2023 and has been held by Israeli authorities since, but hasn't actually been charged with anything.

Another name on the list who's set to be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement is Zakaria Zubeidi, who rose to prominence during the Second Intifada as a leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.

The Second Intifada refers to a period between 2000 and 2005 in which Palestinians staged an uprising against Israel and it's occupation, with often deadly consequences.

The Al-Aqsa Mrtyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian armed groups in the West Bank and Gaza.

While he's been detained multiple times, his most recent arrest was in February 2019, and he was later that year charged with carrying out shootings at civilian busses in the West Bank.

He's also previously claimed responsibility for a terror attack in Beit She'an, Israel in 2002 in which six Israeli civilians were killed and 34 were injured.

With more hostages due to be released, the Netanayhu Government is insisting it's prepared to offer them whatever support is necessary.

But some who've already been through the process of mourning a missing loved one, and welcoming them back, are issuing a warning on that.

Aviram Meir's nephew Almog was rescued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) seven months ago.

Aviram says he's getting along fine after his ordeal, but his family are still suffering.

"My sister who was a mother of a hostage for eight months - a day after he came back, she's a normal citizen in Israel," he said.

"My sister now is breaking ... and we need the families strong for their hostages."

He said he dedicates his time to providing hostage families with support, and called on the government to do more.

One of the people attending the rally in 'Hostage Square' is someone with firsthand experience.

Louis Har spent 129 days in Hamas' custody, and was rescued by Israeli forces in a special mission in Rafah, southern Gaza.

The grandfather said the ceasefire and hostage deal was the right approach, because not everyone could be rescued by the IDF.

"It's not possible to take 98 people in a mission, only with a deal," he said.

He said his role now was to spread hope amongst the hostage families, and he believed the deal would hold.

"OK, this is the first list [of hostages], and we're waiting for more."

Clive has a question.

So, are they [the hostages] alive?

Hamas provided a list of 33 hostages that it plans to release as part of the first phase of this ceasefire. Their condition is not known (although, Hamas has previously said some of them are dead, without providing evidence of this).

Israeli authorities believe most of the people on the list are alive.

It's not clear if the three Hamas are planning on releasing later on Sunday, local time, are alive.

Hamas released a video of Doron Steinbrecher back in January 2024. That was the last time we heard from one of them as far as I'm aware.

It's also believed that the other two hostages set to be released, Romi Gonen and Emily Damari, were wounded when they were abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

As the ceasefire came into effect, Israeli airforce pilots drew a symbol in the skies over Jerusalem, that's supposed to represent the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.

The yellow ribbon has been used by loved ones of those captured during the October 7 attack to raise awareness and build momentum to get them released.

Today's ceasefire is the first step towards freeing the nearly 100 hostages still held by Hamas.

The first phase of the ceasefire, which will run for the next six weeks, will see at least 33 hostages released, mainly women, children and the elderly.