Lucy Williamson
Middle East correspondent, reporting from the Sheba hospital in Tel Aviv

Outside Sheba hospital, a small group of patients and staff gathered in the darkness to welcome the hostages home.

There were cheers and dancing as the convoy passed, the vehicles disappearing swiftly behind the screens set up at the hospital entrance - a gesture of privacy to hostages that have spent the past 15 months in captivity, and who now face the long journey of recovery back home.

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

Earlier, we also heard from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed the release of the Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari - congratulating the three women "on your homecoming".

"This moment was achieved thanks to the sacrifice and fighting of our heroic fighters - the heroes of Israel," Netanyahu writes on X. "I promise: We will bring everyone home!"

We've just seen footage of an Israeli military helicopter, carrying the released hostages, landing at Sheba hospital in Tel Aviv.

Doron Steinbrecher, Emily Damari, and Romi Gonen will received planned treatment as part of their release from 15 months of captivity in Gaza.

The Israeli military confirmed their arrival, saying: "The three released hostages, together with their mothers, just landed at a hospital, where they will be reunited with the rest of their families and receive medical treatment.

"The IDF, ISA, the Mossad, and Israeli health authorities are ready to continue receiving additional hostages and are operating to bring home all the hostages."

Footage released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shows the moment the three hostages were handed over by the Red Cross, in Israel.

Doron Steinbrecher, 31, British-Israeli Emily Damari, 28, and 24-year-old Romi Gonen, had been held by Hamas for the last 15 months.

Image source, Family handout

We're now hearing from the family of 31-year-old veterinary nurse Doron Steinbrecher, who was released from 15 months of captivity in Gaza earlier today.

"After an unbearable 471 days, our beloved Dodo has finally returned to our arms," the family say in a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters.

"We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported and accompanied us along this journey."

"Our heroic Dodo, who survived 471 days in Hamas captivity, begins her rehabilitation journey today," they add.

"We will continue to stand with all the families and do everything in our power until all of their loved ones return home.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​"

The Israeli military has just shared pictures of the released hostages with their mothers:

Image source, IDF

Image source, IDF

Image source, IDF

The Israeli military has just said the three released hostages - Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher, and Romi Gonen - are now travelling to an Israeli hospital in a helicopter for treatment.

The women are travelling with their mothers, and will be reunited with other family members at the hospital.

The treatment was a planned part of their release from 15 months being held hostage in Gaza.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

It's just gone 18:00 here in London and 20:00 in Tel Aviv, and in the last few hours the first three hostages of the 33 expected to be released during the first phase of the ceasefire have been freed.

If you're only just joining us, here's a quick recap of what's happened this afternoon:

• Three Israeli women hostages held by Hamas have now been handed over to Israeli authorities and are back inside Israel
• Doron Steinbrecher, 31, Emily Damari, 28, and Romi Gonen, 24, have been brought to a facility for an initial medical check-up, the IDF says
• The transfer took place in western Gaza City between Red Cross workers and Hamas earlier this afternoon - it was a chaotic scene, as our reporter explained
• The Israeli government has welcomed the news, saying the "families have been informed by the relevant authorities that they have joined our forces"
• Friends and family members watching the hostages' dramatic return reacted by chanting their names and cheering
• Simultaneously, several Red Cross coaches have begun entering the prison grounds in the occupied West Bank to pick up Palestinian prisoners - it's expected that 90 prisoners will be freed from prisons there today, in exchange for the three Israeli hostages

Image source, Getty Images

Crowds have been gathering around Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank as the expected release of 90 Palestinian prisoners is due any moment now.

Earlier, Red Cross teams were seen arriving at the prison.

Families of those who had been detained packed into a town square close to the detention centre, while others stood on a hill overlooking the prison.

There were also reports of Israeli far-right protesters, and pictures show a man being held by Israeli police.

As a reminder, Egypt's foreign ministry said yesterday 1,890 Palestinian prisoners will be released in the first stage of the ceasefire, in exchange for the return of 33 Israeli hostages captured by Hamas.

Image source, EPA

Lucy Manning
Special correspondent

We can now bring you more images from Emily Damari's video call with her family, after earlier showing her reunited with her mother.

The latest images from the call show Emily - who was held hostage in Gaza for 15 months - with a bandaged hand and two missing fingers, but seemingly in good spirits.

• As our colleague Lucy Manning reported earlier, Emily was shot in the hand and dragged into Gaza from her home in southern Israel during the 7 October attack

The most fragile deal so far?published at 17:23 Greenwich Mean Time 19 January

17:23 GMT 19 January

Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent

The history of the Middle East is of wars, peace-making, and deal breaking. So many agreements, signed with cautious hope, have come and gone. Every breakdown seeds more distrust, deeper anger; they strengthen spoilers on both sides.

This deal is, arguably, the most fragile of all. Gaza lies in utter ruin. Israel is scarred by October 7th. Prime Minister Netanyahu, and his allies on the far right, are vowing to stop any path towards a Palestinian state - what Palestinians and capitals the world over believe is the only way to end this endless cycle.

Recent polls show only a minority of Palestinians and Israeli Jews still believe in it. But a recent survey, by researchers on both sides, showed that more than 60% preferred a regional peace based on a two-state solution and normalisation if the alternative was a war on many fronts.

That’s where this deal may be different. Regional powers are more engaged than ever before. And the US, which has always played a pivotal role, will soon be led by a president who’s already proved he’s prepared to exert pressure to stop wars.

Whether that will make the difference will soon be clear. It’s always been said - only warring sides themselves can make peace.

Alex Forster
Reporting from Tel Aviv

Both inside and outside Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, a concentration of national and international press waits in anticipation.

Whatever the divide in this country as to the merits of the long-awaited hostage deal, the return of the first three hostages is a huge moment for a country still reeling from the collective trauma of 7 October 2023.

Lucy Manning
Special correspondent

This is the moving moment Emily Damari, hugging her mum, has a video call with her brother just after she was released.

The whole family for the first time since 7 October smiling, reunited. Emily looking delighted to be free.

It is a photo that will bring joy to many who campaigned for her release.

Earlier, sitting on a sofa, Emily Damari’s mum and the mother’s of the two other freed hostages watch on a phone the moment their daughter’s returned to Israel.

Emily Damari has after 471 days come out from the darkness to the light, from her Hamas captors to her mother’s arms.

Mandy has achieved her only aim: to hug her daughter once again.

Tonight in a statement she thanked everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily and never stopped saying her name.

Image source, Family handout

Some more details now on this first stage of the ceasefire.

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari says in a press conference that in this first six-week stage "three to four additional hostages will be released each week".

A Hamas official has also just told AFP news agency that the next hostage-prisoner swap will take place on Saturday.

Hagari also spoke about what went wrong this morning, when the ceasefire was delayed by about two-and-a-half hours.

He says after Hamas failed to submit the names of the three hostages at the agreed-upon time, "we struck Hamas military infrastructure and armed terrorists in vehicles... We will not tolerate deviations from the agreements, as we made clear this morning".

• What else is included in the ceasefire deal?The truce will be carried out in three stages. The first six-week phase of the deal will see 33 hostages returned from Hamas, and Egypt says Israel will release more than 1,800 Palestinian prisoners in return

In their first statement since releasing the hostages, Hamas says they will continue to observe the ceasefire deal that came into effect at 09:15 GMT today.

The group's armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, says it will follow the timetable of the hostages-for-prisoners swap during the first six-week phase.

But in his video speech, spokesman Abu Ubaida warns that any possible Israeli violations of the ceasefire would threaten the deal, and put the lives of other hostages still being held in Gaza at risk.

"Everything is dependent on the commitment by the enemy," he says, as he urges mediators to keep Israel committing to the deal.

The IDF has shared a clip of the family of 24-year-old Romi Gonen as they watched footage of her release.

Her father can be seen jumping in the air, before breaking down in tears.

In his statement, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to Mandy Damari - mother of released hostage Emily Damari. We've just had this statement from Mandy:

"After 471 days Emily is finally home.

"I want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name. In Israel, Britain, the United States, and around the world. Thank you for bringing Emily home.

"While Emily’s nightmare in Gaza is over, for too many other families the impossible wait continues. Every last hostage must be released, and humanitarian aid must be provided to the hostages who are still waiting to come home."

Image source, Family handout

We've just has this statement from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, after the release of the three hostages - who include UK national Emily Damari.

"The release of three hostages today is wonderful and long-overdue news after months of agony for them and their families," he says.

"Among them is British citizen Emily Damari, who will now be reunited with her family, including her mother Amanda who has never stopped her tireless fight to bring her daughter home.

"I wish them all the very best as they begin the road to recovery after the intolerable trauma they have experienced. We stand ready to offer assistance and support.

"However, today also represents another day of suffering for those who haven't made it home yet - so while this ceasefire deal should be welcomed, we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas."

Image source, EPA

Minutes after the IDF confirmed the first three hostages had been handed over, the Israeli president shared his relief the exchange had taken place successfully.

"Romi, Emily, and Doron – so beloved and missed – an entire nation rejoices at your return," Isaac Herzog writes on X.

"We send you and your families a huge embrace. This is a day of joy and comfort, and the beginning of a challenging journey of recovery and healing together."

The three newly released hostages have arrived at Re'im in southern Israel, the IDF says in an update, "where they will be reunited with their mothers".

The statement says the three women are having an initial medical assessment, accompanied by IDF officers.