'Technical issues' in Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal are 'just the beginning,' source says

The delay in the implementation of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal due to so-called technical issues was just the first of its kind, an Israeli source involved in the hostage release efforts told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari reunited with their families on Sunday after being returned from Gaza captivity as part of the first phase of hostage releases.

Mediator pressure

It was pressure from the deal’s mediators on Hamas’s side that secured the beginning of the ceasefire on Sunday and the subsequent release of the three hostages, an Israeli official also told the Post.

The terrorist organization was supposed to pass the list with the names of the hostages to be released on Saturday by 4 p.m. but only transferred it at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

Released hostages reunite with mothers, January 19, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

According to the source involved in Sunday’s efforts, “These technical issues and the problems were just the beginning.”

“Ultimately, the mechanism did the work in the way that it was supposed to,” the official added.

“There were many difficulties, but the end result was good,” another source said. “There are things to learn and draw lessons from in the future.”

The next test for the ceasefire and hostage deal will come on Friday when Israel is expected to receive a second list of captives set to be released on Saturday.