90 Palestinian prisoners released from Israel

The ceasefire will see Gaza hostages and Palestinian prisoners in Israel freed.

Last Updated: January 20, 2025, 4:46 AM EST

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal.

Meanwhile, the November ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.

Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.

Jan 19, 2025, 1:55 PM EST

Photos show 3 Israeli former hostages reunited with their mothers

Photos were released by Israeli officials on Sunday showing the three released hostages hugging their mothers as they were reunited.

The images showed former hostages Romi Gonen, 24; Emily Damari, 28; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, all sharing emotional embraces with their mothers.

Hostage Doron Steinbrecher reunites with her mother in Israel after being released by Hamas militants, Jan. 19, 2025.
IDF

Hostage Romi Gonen reunites with her mother in Israel after being released by Hamas militants, Jan. 19, 2025.
IDF

Hostage Emily Damari reunites with her mother in Israel after being released by Hamas militants, Jan. 19, 2025.
IDF

Jan 19, 2025, 1:26 PM EST

IDF says 3 released hostages are being airlifted to a hospital

The three female Israeli hostages released on Sunday and their mothers have boarded an Israeli Air Force helicopter that will take them to a hospital, where they will be reunited with the rest of their families and receive medical treatment, according to the IDF.

Jan 19, 2025, 1:24 PM EST

Relatives wait outside Israeli prison for release of Palestinian prisoners

Palestinians waited outside an Israeli prison in the West Bank on Sunday anticipating the release of 90 mainly female Palestinian prisoners as part of the hostage release and ceasefire deal.

As Israeli police attempted to move the crowd of mostly young Palestinian men away from the Ofer Prison, 19-year-old Ibrahim Mouadi told ABC News he is hoping to see his 27-year-old sister, Kaja Mouadi, set free. He said he hadn't seen his sister since she was arrested nine months ago when Israeli police raided their family home in the middle of the night.

PHOTO: An Israeli police officer looks on as a Red Cross vehicle is seen near the Israeli military prison, Ofer, on the day Israel releases Palestinian prisoners near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jan. 19, 2025.
An Israeli police officer looks on as a Red Cross vehicle is seen near the Israeli military prison, Ofer, on the day Israel releases Palestinian prisoners as part of a hostages-prisoners swap near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jan. 19, 2025.
Sinan Abu Mayzer/Reuters

Ibrahim Mouadi said he and his family have no idea why she was arrested. He said she was never charged with any offense.

“We honestly still have no clue," he told ABC News in an interview near the prison.

He said he suspects Israeli authorities detained his sister because of something she may have posted on social media.

“It’s generally because of social media posts because there is no free speech here," Ibrahim Mouadi said.

He said he and the rest of the family have only been able to communicate with his sister through written messages passed to and from her by a lawyer.

"It's been really terrible. We miss her," he said.

Now that three Israeli female hostages have been released, Ibrahim Mouadi said he is hopeful he will be reunited with his sister as soon as Sunday night.

“I’m very excited," he said.

However, he said his sense of celebration is tinged with sadness because of the suffering that has occurred in Gaza.

-ABC News' Tom Soufi Burridge, Latifeh Abdellatif, Hugo Leenhardt

Jan 19, 2025, 12:08 PM EST

Humanitarian aid flows into Gaza as part of hostage-ceasefire deal

As the hostage release unfolded on Sunday, horns were honking and dust was flying as trucks full of humanitarian aid passed through the Rafah border crossing with Gaza.

Now that a ceasefire has taken effect, renewed energy was seen at the critical route for getting aid into Gaza. An ABC News crew witnessed dozens of trucks carrying food, blankets and other supplies across the border gate. Several fuel tanker trucks were among those passing through the checkpoint.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrive in the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom crossing, also known as Karem Abu Salem, Jan. 19, 2025.
Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images

Several drivers delivering the aid to a distribution point and others still waiting to do so, told ABC News they’ve been waiting at the crossing for months, with cargo neatly packed on trailers.

“Even if we can’t afford food for our families, we will put up with difficult circumstances to get it to them [the residents of Gaza],” one driver said.

Referring to the line of trucks parked outside the gates of the crossing, one driver said, “They should make it easier for trucks to get in.”

Since the war started, trucks have faced rigorous inspections by Israeli authorities.

-ABC News' Ayat Altany and Marcus Moore

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