Hamas has confirmed the exact date for the release of the next batch of Israeli hostages.
The next step of the Gaza ceasefire agreement will see more prisoners released within a few days, bringing a ray of hope to families anxiously awaiting the return of their loved ones.
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This confirmation follows earlier confusion after a Hamas spokesman indicated that the release of prisoners would be delayed by one day.
But the terrorist group's official statement now confirms that four hostages will be released next Saturday, January 25, and that they will be released every week for the next four weeks.
A total of 33 hostages, including 12 women and children, 10 men over 50, and 11 young people, will be freed in a gradual process that will end with the return of 14 hostages after six weeks.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, approved by Israel's security cabinet after extensive deliberations, saw the release of brave British hostage Emily Damary and two other women on Sunday.
Emily lost two fingers after being shot by Hamas during the October 7 attack on her kibbutz, Kfar Azza, where she was ambushed.
Her long-awaited release comes as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds after months of continuous war.
The truce was nearly derailed in the final hours of negotiations, but hostages were exchanged as part of the deal, marking the first step toward a fragile cessation of hostilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that the ceasefire is temporary, stressing: “We are committed to dismantling Hamas and returning every hostage to the homeland.”
The reunion of the hostages with their families in southern Israel was a moment of intense emotion.
The three women – Emily Damari, 28, Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 – hugged their mothers tightly after Red Cross teams handed them over to members of the Israel Defense Forces.
Emily is now “in good spirits and on the road to recovery,” her mother said.
The news came as Mandy Damari made her first emotional statement on Monday afterward Emily is released from her terrifying 471 days of captivity By Hamas.
She said: “I am pleased to be able to tell you that Emily is in good spirits and on the road to recovery.
“As you saw last night, she is an amazingly strong and resilient young woman.”
The mother added in her appeal to the world: “Please keep fighting for the remaining 94 hostages who need to return home.
But before escaping the hell of terrorism, Emily, Romy and Doron… They were delivered “gift bags” from Hamas containing painful mementos from their families.
The bags reportedly contained photographs of the women during their imprisonment and so-called “martyrdom” – a grim reminder of their imprisonment. A 15-month nightmare in Gaza.
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The twisted scene was captured in a propaganda video released by Hamas on Sunday.
The video showed the three terrified women in crowds as they were taken to Red Cross officials in a central square in Gaza City.
Masked men carrying machine guns surrounded the hostages, while hundreds of Palestinians gathered to watch the tense exchange.
The footage paints a terrifying picture of the ordeal these women went through, and their fear was clear when they got out of a Hamas truck and into the Red Cross vehicles.
Comfort items, including a leopard-print blanket by Rumi Gonen, were provided in Israeli Air Force helicopters as part of efforts to facilitate their return.
But the horrific footage of them being transferred from Hamas terrorists to the Red Cross casts a dark shadow over the relief that they have been released.
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