SAN DIEGO (SDJW)– Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher–three hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023—were returned to Israel on Sunday, Jan. 19, amid worldwide media coverage of the first phase of a Middle East ceasefire in which Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners from Ofer Prison.
The three women were the first of 33 hostages who will be returned in the first six-week phase of the ceasefire, with more than 60 hostages, both dead and alive, awaiting a return to Israel in the next phase.
The women were transferred to Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, where they will be given medical attention from the staff and loving attention from their overjoyed families. They had been held in captivity 471 days.
Gonen, 24, had two fingers of her left hand shot off in the ordeal that included being kidnapped from the Supernova music festival. Steinbrecher, 31, and Damari, 28, were abducted from Kfar Aza, a kibbutz in San Diego’s sister municipality of Sha’ar Hanegev, Israel, on the border with Gaza.
Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, said in a statement that “for over a year, we have prayed for the safety and freedom of the men, women and children who were kidnapped on October 2023 and held hostage in inhumane conditions ever since. We have wept and grieved every time we learned one of them was murdered by Hamas. Today, as we celebrate the release of Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher and rejoice with their families, we recognize they have a challenging physical and mental rehabilitation process ahead. We stand with these brave individuals as they work to heal and reclaim heir lives, just as we stand with the hostages still enduring captivity and the families who are waiting to be reunited with them.
The American Technion Society, calling to mind a prayer that observant Jews recite every morning — “Blessed are You God, King of the universe, who frees captives” — said it ” holds profound significance today as we begin the process of welcoming home 33 Israeli hostages taken captive on October 7. They endured unimaginable suffering for one reason alone: because they are Israeli. Our prayers and advocacy never wavered as we demanded from Hamas and the global community to bring them home.
“Today, we embrace our returned brothers and sisters with open hearts, wishing them a full recovery of body and spirit — refuat hanefesh v’refuat haguf — as they reunite with their families and communities. Amid our gratitude and joy, our thoughts are also with the remaining hostages, the captives who were murdered, and the brave soldiers who have fallen in battles across Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon. We mourn the tragic loss of life and offer our deepest condolences to their families. May their memories be a blessing.”
The Simon Wiessenthal Center commented that it “stands in solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people around the world upon the release of the first three hostages from the 97 being held by Hamas. We shed tears of joy for those freed, while our hearts remain heavy with anguish for those still held who continue to endure unimaginable suffering and those who did not live to see this day.
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San Diego Jewish World staff