Who are the three Israeli hostages being released?

A young woman described as “the happiest when she dances” will be one of three Israeli women to be freed after 471 days of being held captive by Hamas.

Romi Gonen, 24, was one of those caught by a gang while trying to escape from the Nova festival on 7 October 2023.

He is expected to be released along with Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a veterinary nurse, and Emily Damari, 28, who has dual British-Israeli citizenship.

Their release is part of the first phase of the agreement between Israel and Hamas – Israel’s delay in obtaining the three names, which Hamas blamed for “technical reasons”, forced a ceasefire of about three hours.

Romi left her home in Kfar Verradim, in northern Israel, to attend the Nova festival.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents his family, said he went “to do what he loved, dance” – something he studied for 12 years, focusing on personal sports and becoming a “wonderful choreographer”.

As sirens sounded as Hamas attacked, Romi called his family. Her mother, Meirav, recalled hearing shots and shouting in Arabic when she was finally with her daughter.

Romi was attacked by Hamas terrorists as he tried to flee the festival.

A video posted by a family group last November described her as “the girl with the biggest smile, the brightest light, the biggest friend”.

Doron, a 31-year-old veterinary nurse, was kidnapped from her room in Kibbutz Kfar Aza when Hamas attacked.

In May last year, his sister, Yamit Ashkenazi, wrote a letter of concern to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, calling him “my sun”.

“I wish you could feel the energy we are sending you,” it read.

“I wish you knew about the battle we’re fighting here to get him released. I wish you could hear it. Loving you, longing for you, heartbroken, but still fighting.”

And in later letters, Doron was described as “the glue that unites all his friends, attentive and funny, always smiling and the first to offer help”.

She studied theater and film at school, and developed a love for animals that led her to become a registered nurse.

Speaking to the BBC in November 2023, Doron’s sister Yamit talked about the new tattoo. It says: “Like the sun we will rise again”, but there was no sunlight.

“They will be added when they get home,” he added.

Emily, a 28-year-old British-Israeli national, was also arrested in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the raid on 7 October.

News of his release came on Sunday, a source close to his family said that it was “471 days of torture but 24 hours of torture”.

“All Emily’s mother Mandy wants to do is hug Emily. But she won’t believe it until she sees it,” the source said.

Emily is very connected to the UK – she is a fan of Tottenham Hotspur and often visits relatives, goes to concerts, goes shopping and visits shops here.

Her mother, Mandy Damari, previously told the BBC that Emily “is the foundation of our family and the foundation is missing”.

“I love him to the moon and back, he’s a special person,” she added.