Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday morning as part of the Gaza peace deal brokered by the Trump administration, marking a major step toward formally ending the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The release began shortly before President Donald Trump landed in Israel, part of a regional tour aimed at cementing the peace accord.
The hostages — most of them civilians — had been held in Gaza since Hamas’ October 7 attacks, which triggered the conflict.
According to the agreement, Hamas was required to release all 20 surviving hostages by noon local time.
The first group of seven was handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross shortly after 8 am, which then transferred them to Israeli forces inside Gaza.
The remaining 13 were freed two hours later, following video calls arranged by Hamas between the hostages and their families.
🟡 Operation “Returning Home”
13 returning hostages are currently being accompanied by IDF and ISA forces on their return to Israel, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment.
The commanders and soldiers of the IDF salute and embrace the returning hostages as they
The freed hostages were taken to a military base outside Gaza for reunions with relatives before being transferred to hospitals for medical evaluation.
Israeli officials said many are likely in poor physical condition after two years in underground tunnels with minimal food, water, or medical care.
“Today, twenty families are spared the unbearable pain of not knowing if they will ever see their loved ones again,” White House envoy Steve Witkoff said in a statement.
The peace agreement
Under the terms of the deal, Hamas must also locate and return the remains of 28 deceased hostages.
The group told negotiators that identifying the exact locations of all bodies would be difficult due to collapsed tunnels and combat deaths among guards.
To assist, a multinational task force has been established to coordinate intelligence and recovery efforts inside Gaza.
In exchange, Israel will release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, as well as 1,700 detainees captured in Gaza after October 7.
However, Israel refused to free militants directly involved in the attacks or prominent figures such as Ibrahim Hamed and Marwan Barghouti, whom Israeli authorities consider symbolic leaders.
The world reacts to the release
The hostage release drew broad international praise, with European leaders calling it a turning point in the peace process.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly hailed the development as a major success.
Von der Leyen wrote that Europe “fully supports the peace plan brokered by the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye,” calling the peace effort a “historical milestone.”
Starmer described it as a “first, crucial step” toward lasting peace and pledged additional UK humanitarian aid for Gaza’s civilians.
Macron, expressing “joy” at the release of the first seven hostages, said that with their freedom and the subsequent release of thirteen others, “peace becomes possible for Israel, for Gaza, and for the region.”
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