they are waiting for their men. they are waiting for their loved ones to emerge from the prison. we are seeing them emerge from the helicopter, bringing romi gonen, emily damari, doron steinbrecher, we've seen the photographs of their emotional reunions with their emotional reunions with their mothers. they had preliminary medical assessments, one of the hostages had her hand bandaged, had she had been shot at when she tried to escape from the hamas fighters on october 7, and now they will undergo more comprehensive physical examination, and they have been through a lot of mental turmoil. a full—body effect as one doctor described it to the bbc. ambassador, thank you for staying with us as this process

unfolds. you mentioned your concern that there are leaders, spokespeople, people in positions of power on both sides, hamas and in the israeli government, who would like to see the collapse of this agreement, who don't want to see it towards the end. let's bring it back though to the beginning of this process, what we're watching now. a coordination nacelle has been set up in cairo, egypt, and qatarand set up in cairo, egypt, and qatar and the united states will work together. this is something quite unprecedented. just how much power, how much weight, how much suede you think you can have in this circumstance?— think you can have in this circumstance? ~ ., circumstance? when we have... in egypt. _ circumstance? when we have... in egypt. we _ circumstance? when we have... in egypt. we have _ circumstance? when we have... in egypt, we have very- circumstance? when we have... in egypt, we have very long - in egypt, we have very long experience in working together with the united states and israel, and other parties. in this case, it's going to be

qatar, before that it was the european union and the united nations to manage and monitor the crossings. the same crossings that we are talking about today. the rafah crossing already we have started to process hundreds of trucks, there should be 600 of them, coming across from sinai egypt to rafah and then through the israeli crossing, is really controlled crossing of karma shalom. to move to both southern and northern gaza. —— karem shalom. as the previous speaker told you, not only food and water but we have medicine

and water but we have medicine and fuel for also generators to give those people who are living in the open air, on the sea in this freezing cold, some warmth during this winter. and we will work closely with the americans and the israelis to process also the crossing of injured palestinians, both civilians and military people, actually, we will co—ordinate that so they can get treatment in egypt or in third countries. moreover, both egypt and the us, and also the qatari �*s, will monitor the implementation of the cease—fire, the israeli

withdrawal and also the distribution of the assistance to the palestinians throughout gaza. , ., gaza. this agreement... ambassador... - gaza. this agreement... ambassador... i'm - gaza. this agreement... ambassador... i'm sorry gaza. this agreement... - ambassador... i'm sorry that we have to leave it there, ambassador, i apologise for interrupting you. again, we hope we will speak to you again about egypt's effect on this evolving situation, but thank you very much forjoining us. let's bring in my colleague jonah fisher, you are at the sheba medical centre, describe what's happening where you are. we can hear helicopters overhead, we believe that the helicopter carrying the three released hostages is about to land here, it has flown the relatively short distance from

just outside gaza where the three hostages were reunited with their mothers and they were put on board a helicopter and brought here. those images you can see on the screen here, thatis you can see on the screen here, that is one of the helicopters just coming in to land here at sheba medical centre. it's one of the largest hospitals in the middle east, it is equipped for any possible eventuality and this is where obviously the hostages are being brought in order to be fully assessed by a medical team. order to be fully assessed by a medicalteam. from order to be fully assessed by a medical team. from the images that we saw earlier at re'im where they were brought initially on their release, they looked like they were given some immediate health care. you can see on the hand of emily damari, that she had her hand bandaged. we know that she was injured when she was taken hostage on october 7, 2023 in the hamas attacks, it does appear she was given some

initial health care there, and we believe the three women are being brought here for further assessment. so that is the roof of part of the sheba hospital that you can see there, on board our we believe the three hostages, doron steinbrecher, emily damari who is a british israeli national, and romi gonen who was taken at the nova music festival. they've all been brought here, they met with their mothers as they came out and we are expecting to be assessed here and to be quite frank, to be kept away from media attention.— frank, to be kept away from media attention. we've been broadcasting _ media attention. we've been broadcasting the _ media attention. we've been i broadcasting the photographs, videos released by the israeli

defense forces showing us the emotional those first reunions after the three crossed the border. is it your understanding, jonah, that we had reports there will be more reunions, more family members who will be inside the sheba medical centre? we who will be inside the sheba medical centre?— who will be inside the sheba medical centre? we simply don't know at this _ medical centre? we simply don't know at this point. _ medical centre? we simply don't know at this point. we've - medical centre? we simply don't know at this point. we've been l know at this point. we've been kept at arms length from understandably, from the family and the area where they are going to be treated. as you can see in the images there, some people are now coming off that helicopter. i think many people will have been encouraged to see the hostages able to walk into the red cross vehicles when they were taken to gaza, you can see they are bringing a curtain across to shield the area from cameras who are

trained on the sheba hospital, an indication there of the determination to make this a private event and to allow the three female hostages a chance to adjust to their new—found freedom after five away with a bit of privacy with their loved ones. �* ., , bit of privacy with their loved ones. ~ . , ., , bit of privacy with their loved ones. ~ ., ., , ., ones. and as the night goes on, jonah, ones. and as the night goes on, jonah. have _ ones. and as the night goes on, jonah, have more _ ones. and as the night goes on, jonah, have more crowds - ones. and as the night goes on, jonah, have more crowds been l jonah, have more crowds been gathering, joining what seemed to be a significant number of journalists from, of course from israel, from the palestinian territories but also from capitals of the world over who all want to follow every single step of this extraordinary process? the main unatherin extraordinary process? the main gathering point _ extraordinary process? the main gathering point for _ extraordinary process? the main gathering point for families - gathering point for families and for supporters gathering point forfamilies and for supporters of the

hostages has been down the road from here, the so—called hostage square in tel aviv. this actual location has really been closed off to members of the public, if you like, so we don't have many members of the public here. you we do have as you biggest expect, lots of journalists, they are closely trained on the road and the junction behind me, we are expecting to have a brief moment where we can see the event which they are being loaded into, we believe, at the moment, then they will be taken behind a fence which has got tarpaulin covering it, to again, allow them some privacy. the first images, though, were encouraging. of course, big smiles on the faces of the

three women. their mothers. we do know that two of the former hostages had been injured. at the moment when they were taken captive, we saw i think it was emily's hand, judging by the bandages, that she had lost some fingers.— bandages, that she had lost some fingers. yeah, that was one of the — some fingers. yeah, that was one of the first _ some fingers. yeah, that was one of the first things - some fingers. yeah, that was one of the first things that i one of the first things that were noticed from the pictures that we saw, there were bandages around emily's hand. we understand that that vehicle is now on the move. we saw them being loaded up from the helicopter, that they will be moving in this direction shortly, but clearly, emily has some injuries which needed to be addressed, particularly to her hand. we believe she was perhaps shot in the october 7, 2023 attacks, we also believe

that romy who was also shot at the nova music festival, she was on the phone to her mother when she was taken, the vehicle they were attempting to flee and was hijacked by hamas and she was on the phone to her mother talking about being injured and people in the vehicle were bleeding when she was taken in the vehicle, stopped by hamas and she was taken into gaza. so clearly there are some medical issues which will need to be a addressed, as well as of course any medical issues that have arisen during 15 months of being held in what may have been extremely dire conditions inside gaza. we don't know exactly, they may have been held underground, we don't know how they were treated but one would imagine it was probably not very well. so there will be many, many issues which they will have to address and not just medical ones. obviously, the psychological impact of having spent so long in incarceration, so long being held out of contact with the

outside world, not knowing if there was going to be a deal struck or not, because for long periods of a deal seemed a long way away. so ijust keep glancing over my shoulder like this, it's because i'm expecting if you just come through, anastasia, she is the camera woman, i'm expecting the vehicle to come down through that area there. you can see all of the cameras of the world all of the cameras of the world all lined up, all eyes trained on this road behind me waiting for that vehicle to come through. it will then go, we believe, inside here in two building there where they will probably be assessed for treatment. i canjust hear a little bit of noise. let's just have a look behind me. ok. possibly a false alarm. we are looking out for that vehicle

coming through but... possibly any minute now it will be coming here. yeah, ithink it probably is on its way, because the the heliport is not very far away from here, so i think probably any moment now we are going to have it. to give you the background for these three female hostages released today, romi gonen is a 24—year—old is really, she was taken from the nova music festival, and then we also have doron steinbrecher, she is a 31—year—old veterinary nurse, she was taken from kibbutz kfar aza, it was particularly targeted in those attacks on october 7. also in that kibbutz was emily damari, a 28—year—old reddish is really, she's the one we have seen in those

images with her hand bandaged. and perhaps in need of further medical attention. and perhaps in need of further medicalattention. emily's mother has travelled up from the uk to meet her and indeed has run a high—profile campaign to try and raise the profile of her plight. indeed, emily, interesting bit of trivia about her, she's a tottenham hotspur fan, and her name has been called out in matches in chance from the fans at those football games. so in return for releasing these three female hostages, there has been a release we believe of 90 palestinian prisoners. the way the formula words as part of this cease—fire, 30 palestinian prisoners are released for one is really hostage. so 90 today

over the course of next six weeks we are expecting 33 is really hostages to be released in batches, is not entirely clear at this point whether all of those are hostages, those hostages are alive or not, they are for the most part children, women, the elderly, the injured and the sick. the next batch after today will be next weekend when we are expecting, once again, for there to be a reciprocal release of palestinian prisoners on that day. in all, something close to 2000 palestinians are going to be released, not all of them convicted criminals. about 1000 of them have been held in custody during the course of this conflict and have not faced any sort of trial, so they are also due to be released during the course of this six—week cease—fire which

israel is very determinedly saying is a temporary cease—fire to secure the release of the 33 hostages. there are more hostages which are not part of this first phase of the agreement, they are men of military age, their fate will be tied up with the next phase of negotiations, those will begin on the 16th day of this cease—fire deal, for16 day of this cease—fire deal, for 16 days from now, and that is when the tricky negotiations really start. because though this is been an extremely difficult deal to put together andindeed difficult deal to put together and indeed there were many hitches and holdups along the way, all this substantial discussions about gaza's future are effectively being put into the next phase. discussions about who will run gaza, that is one of the unknown and unanswered questions here, israel is very firm that it doesn't want hamas involved in

that, but from what we saw today, hamas is still very much a part of the set up in gaza, the greene mask... looking around again... a little bit of around again... a little bit of a flurry of attention. we're looking to see whether they might be coming out. but how masses very clearly part of the political, very much still present in gaza. we saw them present in gaza. we saw them present around the red cross vehicles where the hostages were handed over today in gaza. so they were very clear to make a very public show, having survived a 50 month war. but israel launched to try and eliminate and destroy hamas in gaza. much to be discussed into the next phase of the

cease—fire agreement, for the most part we had a hitch this morning when there was a delight to hamas releasing the names of the hostages not released by the israelis. everything since then has largely got back on track. so we've had the release of the is really hostages, that they are handing over to the red cross and then they have been held or been reunited... a little flurry of attention... no, that's not it again. anastasia willjust have a quick look through there. you can see, once again, we'll keep looking out for this.— out for this. thank you, john, we'll keep — out for this. thank you, john, we'll keep an _ out for this. thank you, john, we'll keep an eye _ out for this. thank you, john,

we'll keep an eye on - out for this. thank you, john, we'll keep an eye on what's i we'll keep an eye on what's happening with you at the sheba medical centre, a flurry of activity every once in a while, we've been watching the fans pushing through the crowd, not clear whether they are the vans that are carrying the hostages, certainly large crowds now around the sheba medical centre where you are. interesting detail you mentioned about how emily is a tottenham hotspur fan, it's also mentioned in situations where hostages finally regain their freedom, they are always delighted to find out that people cared about them, fought for the release in all the years, because it can be a lonely, dark and frightening existence. and nothing, you hear very little about what is happening in the world outside and the now former hostages must have been living in that kind of darkness, not knowing what was happening to their own families, not knowing just what

was going on and who some of the possibility who was fighting for their freedom. jonah fisher is going to be staying with us, he'll continue to watch situation of the hospital where we have been just reporting, the helicopters have landed on a landing site, a helipad on a nearby building. they were taken under cover into vans and are now being brought into the hospital. also, let's bring in my colleague anna foster who is again at the square, central square in tel aviv, the museum square in tel aviv, the museum square which is now been, become a gathering place, known as hostages square. in their homes and places across the country they are and all watching this extraordinary moment unfold. bring us into the mood of hostage square now. yeah, we've heard and seen throughout the evening scenes

ofjoy throughout the evening scenes of joy and throughout the evening scenes ofjoy and celebration here, people responding to the big screen, responding to the pictures and what we are saying now is live up pictures of the women actually arriving there at sheba medical centre after the journey which of course began a few hours ago when they were handed over by hamas to the red cross, taken. we saw those pictures of them being put into the cars, crowds of people around, armed members of hamas escorting them out and of course there was thatjourney that took them down to being handed over to the israel defense forces in the south of israel at re'im, then of course that helicopterjourney israel at re'im, then of course that helicopter journey that israel at re'im, then of course that helicopterjourney that is taken them to where they are now at sheba medical centre where they will be getting medical attention. where they will be getting medicalattention. one where they will be getting medical attention. one thing that we were talking about, we talked about quite extensively today, is how you get back to a

normal life notjust physically but psychologically. a lot of the things that i have learned about that, i learned from my next guest so i'm glad to say he is back with us in hostages square professor, you are head of the health team for the hostage families for them. i remember we last talked here at the time of the last cease—fire, when these hostages are released you are one of the people that helps them come on day one, we're seeing now, what are the key things both the physical and emotionalfirst aid of those released hostages need? ,., ., ~ , aid of those released hostages need? �* , need? good evening. as you said, need? good evening. as you said. it's _ need? good evening. as you said. it's a — need? good evening. as you said, it's ajourney. - need? good evening. as you said, it's ajourney. so - need? good evening. as you said, it's ajourney. so now. said, it's a journey. so now they— said, it's a journey. so now they change phase, coming out of the — they change phase, coming out of the tunnel, it's a journey, they— of the tunnel, it's a journey, they are _ of the tunnel, it's a journey, they are starting the recovery process, _ they are starting the recovery process, uniting with their families, _ process, uniting with their families, getting medical, physical and mental assistance, it's going — physical and mental assistance, it's going to be lifelong. it's a lifelong recovery because the

experience they had will leave their_ experience they had will leave their marks on their body and souls — their marks on their body and souls we _ their marks on their body and souls. we know in israel and we studied — souls. we know in israel and we studied it— souls. we know in israel and we studied it to be better, we know— studied it to be better, we know how to help them but i must — know how to help them but i must tell— know how to help them but i must tell you from the interviews, systematically that we conducted with the survivors, we learned that they cannot — survivors, we learned that they cannot recover fully when their friends, — cannot recover fully when their friends, sometimes families are still in _ friends, sometimes families are still in captivity. we have to release _ still in captivity. we have to release all the remaining 94 hostages for them, for the released hostages for saving the life — released hostages for saving the life of those hostages, for the life of those hostages, for the families and for the public in israel— the families and for the public in israel and around the world. because — in israel and around the world. because we are so traumatised. the only— because we are so traumatised. the only medicine to this trauma _ the only medicine to this trauma is to bring back home all of— trauma is to bring back home all of them. the recovery process, _ all of them. the recovery process, it's slow. after 471 days, — process, it's slow. after 471 days, we _ process, it's slow. after 471 days, we have to take it slow _ days, we have to take it slowly. and i hear what people say, _ slowly. and i hear what people say, how— slowly. and i hear what people say, how they look like and

they— say, how they look like and they seem like in a good condition, i think first of all. _ condition, i think first of all. we _ condition, i think first of all, we have to respect their privacy _ all, we have to respect their privacy. it's very important. we — privacy. it's very important. we publish on behalf of the families some details about the medicat— families some details about the medical status when they were in captivity, in order to help getting _ in captivity, in order to help getting them out. but once they are out, — getting them out. but once they are out, it's their decision, their— are out, it's their decision, their control what is published. we will have to pay attention because like in the multisystem trauma, you might easily— multisystem trauma, you might easily miss all kinds of harms. i trust — easily miss all kinds of harms. i trust the _ easily miss all kinds of harms. i trust the physicians and nurses— i trust the physicians and nurses in— i trust the physicians and nurses in israeli hospitals, now— nurses in israeli hospitals, now in_ nurses in israeli hospitals, now in sheba, to tread carefully and prioritise and see — carefully and prioritise and see how— carefully and prioritise and see how they were not only physically and mentally but how they come back to work, to study. _ they come back to work, to study, here are young women, their— study, here are young women, their life — study, here are young women, their life is _ study, here are young women, their life is in front of them, now— their life is in front of them, now their— their life is in front of them, now their families, they don't know— now their families, they don't know yet. _ now their families, they don't know yet, they are so famous they— know yet, they are so famous they will— know yet, they are so famous they will have to cope. and i'm telling — they will have to cope. and i'm telling you, to go back to the main — telling you, to go back to the main focus will now not only be

recovery— main focus will now not only be recovery but release of friends and families and it's a very emotional time for the families and i_ emotional time for the families and i know the mothers and the families— and i know the mothers and the families of the three of them, it's not— families of the three of them, it's not simple for them. they are so— it's not simple for them. they are sojoyful but it's not simple for them. they are so joyful but they do not come — are so joyful but they do not come back as they left. they are different now. and now merah— are different now. and now merab and other mothers fighting for release, they are treating _ fighting for release, they are treating her daughters and this is a difficult position and everyone will have to support them — everyone will have to support them in — everyone will have to support them in order for the words they— them in order for the words they need, because in the end, that's— they need, because in the end, that's this _ they need, because in the end, that's this not... core family is the — that's this not... core family is the most important thing for them _ is the most important thing for them to— is the most important thing for them to come back to life. when these hostages _ them to come back to life. when these hostages are _ them to come back to life. when these hostages are released - them to come back to life. when these hostages are released and j these hostages are released and you speak to them and you have conversations with them about what they've been through, i realise they've been held in different places sometimes by

different places sometimes by different groups... what do they know about what happened on october 7? because for the rest of us, it is something that we know all too well, but in their cases, are they learning things about the scale of what happened, that they were perhaps unaware of? the erfect were perhaps unaware of? the perfect image _ were perhaps unaware of? the perfect image for that is the tunnel— perfect image for that is the tunnel vision. they only saw very— tunnel vision. they only saw very small part of the picture. they— very small part of the picture. they couldn't see the entire picture. _ they couldn't see the entire picture, they don't know what happened around the world, they don't _ happened around the world, they don't know him sometimes close friends _ don't know him sometimes close friends were murdered, that you know, _ friends were murdered, that you know. the — friends were murdered, that you know, the kibbutz, their homes were _ know, the kibbutz, their homes were shattered, were burned. they— were shattered, were burned. they don't know about the war or they've _ they don't know about the war or they've happened globally, so much — or they've happened globally, so much to catch up. imagine, anna. — so much to catch up. imagine, anna. for— so much to catch up. imagine, anna, for you as a journalist, a few— anna, for you as a journalist, a few hours— anna, for you as a journalist, a few hours you don't have your phone _ a few hours you don't have your phone and — a few hours you don't have your phone and how many messages do you have? — phone and how many messages do you have? how many messages do

they have? — you have? how many messages do they have? it's 15 months of their— they have? it's 15 months of their life _ they have? it's 15 months of their life where they can in captivity, it will take again a life to — captivity, it will take again a life to get it back. ten years from — life to get it back. ten years from now _ life to get it back. ten years from now they may realise something that they didn't catch— something that they didn't catch up so it's really something that is unique and this issue _ something that is unique and this issue of hostagetaking as a physician, is not written the hooks — a physician, is not written the hooks we _ a physician, is not written the books. we have to how to help them, — books. we have to how to help them, first resuscitate and then — them, first resuscitate and then recover for life. we have toois. — then recover for life. we have tools. we _ then recover for life. we have tools, we know of other conditions were for example people — conditions were for example people were in, for very long time — people were in, for very long time but _ people were in, for very long time but in this case they may have _ time but in this case they may have been_ time but in this case they may have been tortured, not them specifically but in general, so that's— specifically but in general, so that's something slowly we know that's something slowly we know that we _ that's something slowly we know that we don't... when they first— that we don't... when they first come they don't tell exactiy— first come they don't tell exactly what have happened to them, — exactly what have happened to them, it — exactly what have happened to them, it will take time with close — them, it will take time with close families and friends will tell more. i must say, in this evening, _ tell more. i must say, in this

evening, with so muchjoy and like emin— evening, with so muchjoy and like emily put her hand like that— like emily put her hand like that because she lost two fingers, _ that because she lost two fingers, but it's a victory, it's— fingers, but it's a victory, it's the _ fingers, but it's a victory, it's the victory of the spirit, amazing _ it's the victory of the spirit, amazing resilience but we don't forget _ amazing resilience but we don't forget the missing fingers. we don't — forget the missing fingers. we don't forget that 94 people are still there and we don't forget that we — still there and we don't forget that we really need not only for israei— that we really need not only for israel but for gaza and for the world, _ for israel but for gaza and for the world, we need continuous cease-fire _ the world, we need continuous cease—fire and to get all of them — cease—fire and to get all of them out of there. cease-fire and to get all of them out of there. professor, thank you _ them out of there. professor, thank you for— them out of there. professor, thank you forjoining - them out of there. professor, thank you forjoining us, - them out of there. professor, thank you forjoining us, as i thank you forjoining us, as you say it's a delicate and long process, one which you have been involved with the hostages and the ones still to be released, thank you for your time this evening will stop here in hostages square in tel aviv, just reflecting what happens after today? very often as the professor was anger, people are in a position where in the first instance, they

have that support, they have everything they need to, just the activity that is going on around them and it's those moments, those quiet moments where things are finished and as he was saying, you have to start to return to a normal life. you have to go back to work, you have to socialise again to do all of those things that feel so very far away from your experience of captivity and the experience that these women and many others have had over the last 15 months or so. thank you forjoining us. i think some of the things the professor was talking about will really chime with your experience as well, won't they? you know, the negotiation of the release but then what comes after. yes, what comes after is a whole _ yes, what comes after is a whole life journey with being a new person with a new experience. one of the things that we — experience. one of the things that we see thematically is, as

folks— that we see thematically is, as foiks get— that we see thematically is, as folks get that support and get grounded, and return to their life. — grounded, and return to their life. is— grounded, and return to their life. is it _ grounded, and return to their life, is it becomes very important to them to use their experience for the impact in the service of others. and you see them _ the service of others. and you see them then getting involved in forums — see them then getting involved in forums like the professor is, supporting other hostages. finding — is, supporting other hostages. finding other ways of supporting people who have had traumatic experiences. and it is often — traumatic experiences. and it is often that they find and give — is often that they find and give meaning to the horrific experiences that they have had. tell us a little bit more about that specific role that you used to play as a hostage negotiator. of course, the negotiation, in this case, has been one that has been happening, you know, when i say at a very high level, ijust mean with a lot of parties involved. it has been one that has been indirect anyway because of course israel and hamas don't have direct relations, it has been carried out through mediators. there

have been times when yahya sinwar, the leader