All 20 remaining living Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas after two years in captivity, amid emotional scenes in Tel Aviv and praise for U.S. President Donald Trump’s role in brokering the ceasefire deal.
Hamas has released the last 20 known living Israeli hostages after more than 700 days in captivity, handing them to the Red Cross in Gaza under a U.S.-brokered agreement. The release marks a dramatic turning point in a conflict that began with Hamas’s 7 October 2023 assault on Israel.
The hostages, all men, were reunited with families on Monday with the help of the Israeli army. Footage of the moment some made video calls to their families was shared live to an estimated 65,000 people gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and broadcast nationwide.
Among those freed was 48-year-old Omri Miran, who was abducted from his home in Nahal Oz during the October 2023 attacks. “This is not a personal victory but a victory of an entire people,” his family said in a statement.
The release was part of a wider exchange that will see Israel release 1,718 Palestinian prisoners, including hundreds serving life sentences. The final group of 13 living hostages was handed over shortly before 11:00 local time, following an earlier transfer of seven.
The prisoner release is due to be followed by the repatriation of 28 deceased hostages. Many of their families had gathered daily for two years at Hostages Square, located opposite Israel’s military headquarters.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who is credited with mediating the truce, arrived in Israel on Monday morning and flew over the Tel Aviv crowd en route to the Knesset in Jerusalem, where he is scheduled to address parliament. Trump signed the Knesset guest book calling the day “a new beginning” and later said: “As far as I’m concerned, the war is over.”
Families of hostages praised Trump’s involvement. The family of Matan Angrest, a soldier captured near Gaza, said: “A huge, historic, eternal thank you to the president of the United States and his team… Our Matan is home.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the release “the first, crucial phase in ending the war,” pledging additional UK humanitarian aid for Gaza. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also praised Trump’s efforts, describing the event as a “crucial milestone towards peace.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the return of the hostages, saying: “We are waiting for everyone – every last one.”
Under the agreement, Israel will carry out a limited military withdrawal from parts of Gaza. Further steps in the 20-point peace framework, including the future of Hamas and security arrangements in Gaza, remain under negotiation. Trump will next travel to Egypt to co-chair a regional summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.
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