All 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas have been released as part of a ceasefire that pauses two years of devastating conflict in Gaza. The handover, coordinated with the Red Cross, coincided with Israel releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences, under a U.S.-brokered peace plan.
Families reunited with their loved ones in emotional scenes across Israel. At Tel Aviv’s “hostages square,” tens of thousands gathered to watch live coverage on giant screens, cheering as the hostages were returned. Omri Miran, abducted during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, embraced his children after more than 700 days in captivity. His family described the moment as “not a personal victory but a victory of an entire people.”
Israeli authorities escorted the bodies of four deceased captives into Israel, while the remaining 24 deceased hostages are expected to be transferred at a later date. The Hostages Family Forum, representing many families, expressed dismay that only a few bodies were returned immediately, prompting the formation of an international task force to locate the rest.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who played a central role in brokering the deal, addressed the Israeli parliament before traveling to Egypt for a summit with more than 20 global leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. In his Knesset speech, Trump emphasized, “Israel, with our help, has won all that they can by force of arms. Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”
The ceasefire, negotiated over several days with the involvement of the U.S., Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, follows the deadliest conflict between Israel and Hamas in decades. More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, while around 1,200 Israelis were killed in the October 7 attack, which also resulted in approximately 250 hostages. Large areas of Gaza have been destroyed, displacing nearly 90% of its two million residents, and parts of the enclave face famine.
