In mid-January, a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas went into effect. During Phase I of this deal,  Israel will cease most military operations in Gaza, withdraw from strategic corridors, further increase humanitarian aid into Gaza, and release around 1,700 Palestinian prisoners, hundreds of which had been serving life sentences for murder. 

In exchange, Hamas will release 33 of the hostages that they took on October 7th, 2023, not all of whom are still alive.

On January 19th, 2025, the first three of these were released following 471 days in Hamas captivity. Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher, Romi Gonen are now home with their families in Israel.

In the first installment of this oral history of the hostage deal, six people shared their experience anticipating the first release. Though everyone, of course, dearly wanted to see the hostages returned, they predicted their feelings would be complicated when they saw this release. What would their faces look like? Would they carry the horrors of 15 months in terror tunnels? Would they be able to enjoy the fullest share of life yet allotted to them, to smile, to love again? This would be the moment that all of the horrors we’ve imagined would become real. 

The release was Hamas’ final act of terror upon these women. A braying mob of armed, masked men screamed at the women, climbed on the vehicles they were being transported in, forced them to smile and participate in a “release ceremony”, and generally ensured that their last seconds in Gaza were filled with terror, humiliation, and hatred.

But when the women returned to Israel, the first thing they saw was a nation that loved them, had missed them, and were united in celebration at their return. I have never seen such solidarity as Israelis and Jews in diaspora have for the hostages. I believe that because of this deep love, support, and kinship, when the women returned to Israel, they were able to give Israel the greatest gift: a smile.

Seeing the women smile again made me less fearful about their futures, hopeful that they would be able to heal, and sure that “their light has not been extinguished”. To smile in the face of unimaginable horror is a striking act of resilience and the product of a healthy culture and a loving community.

For this second installment of the hostage deal oral history, I interviewed seven people in the hours and days after the first hostage release. They shared their experience learning the news that the women were safe, expressed reservations about the deal, reflected on Jewish identity, how their own identities have changed following October 7th, their hopes and fears for the nation of Israel, the possibility of peace, and the well-being of the hostages that will be released as part of this deal, and for those who remain captive in Gaza.

I am sincerely and deeply grateful for everyone who volunteered to be interviewed for this project: Tzipora, Pelinor, Toni, Ben, Liraz, Will, and Kathy. I am also very grateful Liraz and Neil who provided voiceover audio  and to Snek who kindly helped me verify the Hebrew-language footage used in this episode and provided translations.

Love, love, love

Thank you G-d

Thank you to my family, to Oreli

To the best friends in the entire world.

I’ve come back to my beloved life

🩵

I’ve managed to see just a glimpse

Of everything and my heart exploded with emotions. 

Thank you thank you thank you

I’m the happiest person in the world to just be.

🤟🏼

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Accompanying Videos

Return

Reunion

Celebration

More in “Oral History of the Hostage Deal”

You can find the first episode of the oral history below. Additionally, we have released Pelinor’s full interview: A Cousin Held Hostage in Gaza.

Music Used in this Episode

* תיק קטן | “Small Bag” by Ness Ve Stella

* Lyrics

* YouTube

* תמיד אוהב אותי | “He Always Loves Me” by Samson Ifram Shaulov

* Lyrics

* YouTube

* “Hatikvah” — Ian Post

* YouTube

* This is the Israeli national anthem. Post’s version of “Hatikvah” appears to be the version used by the Nova Exhibition in a memorial to the soul’s lost on October 7th at Nova. You can find a clip of that memorial in my essay “The Nova Exhibition: The Toll of the October 7th Massacre”

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