Boshara Amro has traveled to Beitunia with her family from Hebron after being informed her older sister would be among the Palestinians released from Israeli detention tonight.

Amro, 21, said her 23-year-old sister was arrested more than a year ago and has been held in Israeli detention ever since. She said her family still does not know why she was detained — only that she was being held under administrative detention, whereby she could be detained indefinitely without charge.

Knowing her sister will be released today, she said, “I cannot describe my feelings.” Her family gathered around a table set up outside not far from Ofer Prison, where they shared a meal as they waited for Amro’s sister to be freed.

Amro said she struggled to think about what her sister might be going through during her time in detention. She said the family has not been able to visit or speak with her since she was detained.

Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has condemned the ceasefire deal that allowed three Hamas hostages to be released today, although he said he was “happy and excited” for the freed women.

Ben-Gvir, who resigned from the coalition government today, has said that instead of agreeing to the deal, Israel’s military should continue the war against Hamas while stopping the transfer of humanitarian aid and fuel, electricity and water to Gaza.

Ben Gvir said on X that he awaits the return of the remaining hostages through “force, cutting off fuel, stopping humanitarian aid, and not through surrender.”

A group of Palestinians in Beitunia have gathered to sing and clap around a fire as they wait for the release of 90 prisoners from nearby Ofer Prison.

Israeli authorities have told people not to celebrate, but a festive atmosphere has endured as the ceasefire begins and Israel and Hamas exchange prisoners and hostages.

The three freed Israeli hostages have arrived at Sheba Medical Center, near Tel Aviv, for medical treatment after 15 months in Hamas captivity.

The mother of British Israeli released hostage Emily Damari has shared a photo of the two hugging while on a video call with other family members.

“After 471 days Emily is finally home,” Mandy Damari said in a statement released through the Hostages Families Forum.

“I want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name," she added. "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.”

Three Israeli hostages abducted during the 2023 terrorist attacks were reunited with their mothers after more than 15 months in captivity in Gaza.

They are all young women: Doron Steinbrecher, 31, taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7, 2023, a veterinary nurse; Romi Gonen, 24, taken from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7; and Emily Damari, 28, a British Israeli citizen taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7 and a key figure in the kibbutz’s youth community.

There is a festive atmosphere here in Beitunia in the occupied West Bank, where 90 Palestinians are expected to be released from nearby Ofer Prison shortly.

The atmosphere is notable because people have been told not to celebrate.

We expect 69 women and 21 children to be among those released. So many of them have been held in administrative detention, which means they have not been charged or tried.

We spoke to one woman who did time with other women; she said she had been held for three months for taking part in a protest. Other women were arrested for Facebook posts critical of Israel and will be released here tonight, she added.

We expect, potentially any minute now, to start hearing the roar of the rotor blades as an Israeli military helicopter arrives carrying the three women to the Sheba Medical Center.

The authorities have erected plastic sheeting at this hospital to protect the privacy of the women, who have been through 471 days of captivity.

It is the first step in what is going to be a very long journey. It does appear one of the hostages, Emily Damari, suffered some kind of wound to her hand, according to a photograph her family posted on social media. It looks like she may have been missing some fingers from injuries suffered on Oct. 7.

We expect that this is going to be a long stay. The hostages released back in November 2023 had been in Gaza for 50 days. These women have been in for nearly 500.

The IDF has released a video it says shows the moment the Red Cross transferred three freed Hamas hostages to the Israeli military.

In the video, a white Red Cross vehicle pulls up alongside a number of people in olive military uniforms. The three women then step out of the car, smiling, and speak briefly with Israeli military personnel.

Romi Gonen, wearing a dark blue sweatsuit and a white turtleneck, embraces one of the soldiers before the trio continue their journey in another vehicle.

Hamas had earlier transferred the hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza, the first step of their release after 15 months in captivity.