The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has released the names of three female Israeli captives set to be released under a prisoner swap agreement as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.
Abu Obeida, spokesman for Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, said, “As part of the prisoner exchange deal we decided to release today: Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Shtanbar Khair, 31.”
Earlier, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said the ceasefire would not begin until Hamas released the names of the captives. The Gaza-based Palestinian group blamed “technical” reasons for the delay.
Gaza’s Civil Defense said 13 people have been killed and more than 30 others injured in the Israeli bombing of Gaza on Sunday morning during the nearly three-hour delay in the start of the ceasefire.
Israel has killed at least 46,899 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 110,725 other individuals in Gaza since the onset of its genocidal war against Gaza on October 7, 2023. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.