The release of three hostages from Gaza as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas came into force yesterday dominates Monday’s front pages. Several of the papers carry images of Emily Damari, a British-Israeli citizen who was taken by Hamas from her home on 7 October, reuniting with her mother. Crowds of television cameras surrounded Emily, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Romi Gonen, 24, as they were handed over by Hamas to Red Cross officials, the Times reports.
“Home at last,” is the Metro’s headline, as the paper reports of “chaotic scenes” in the lead up to Emily, Doron and Romi’s release.
Hundreds of aid trucks queued to enter Gaza as the ceasefire came into force, bringing supplies to its 2.3 million residents, the Guardian says. As the hostages were released, Red Cross officials were working in Israel’s Ofer prison to process the release of Palestinian prisoners, the paper adds.
“Thank you for bringing Emily home,” was Mrs Damari’s message to the world after her daughter’s release, according to the Daily Mail. The paper says Emily “smiled defiantly” as she was freed after 471 days in captivity.
An image of Emily reuniting with her mother Mandy features on the front page of the Mirror. “Every hostage must be released,” the paper quotes Mrs Damari as saying.
Images of Emily’s release also feature on the front page of the Daily Express. The paper says the 28-year-old is free after “15 months of hell”.
The i says the hostage release comes as the world prepares for President-elect Donald Trump to enter the White House on Monday. Trump has claimed a key role in bringing Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire, the paper reports.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has stepped up efforts to secure a trade deal with Trump as the president-elect takes office today, the Telegraph says. The prime minister has set up a “mini-cabinet” of senior ministers tasked with drawing up ways to persuade Trump to reach an agreement.
And lastly, the Daily Star reveals that one in ten people “go against the Full English orthodoxy” by putting gravy on their fry-up instead of brown sauce, branding them “absolute wrong ‘uns”.