In a historic moment, Hamas has handed over the last 20 living Israeli hostages captured in the October 7, 2023 attack, confirming that they will no longer be held in Gaza.
The release, facilitated under US President Donald Trump’s ambitious 20-point Gaza peace plan, was carried out in two parts through the Red Cross in southern Gaza, with the freed prisoners flown to Reims military base for medical evaluation and family reunification. The breakthrough ends 730 days of harrowing ordeal for families in the war that has devastated the Gaza Strip and claimed the lives of more than 67,000 Palestinians.
The handover marks the completion of the first phase of President Trump’s ceasefire framework with Qatar and Egypt, brokered by U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. In return, Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were serving long sentences for hostilities, and allowed them to return to Gaza or seek asylum. A partial withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to the “Yellow Line” has already begun, allowing more humanitarian aid to be delivered through the reopened Rafah border. “While this agreement represents progress towards the return of everyone, our struggle ends with the last hostage left,” the Hostage Families Forum said.
Israeli hostages were kept under torture
Those freed include civilians such as Matan Zangaukar, 25, from Nir Oz Kibbutz, who was abducted at the Nova Music Festival, and Alon Oher, 24, a multinational festival attendee. Profiles reveal survivors of tunnels, starvation and mental suffering, many showing signs of trauma upon arrival. “We really wanted to see the rest…” “It’s heartbreaking,” Rotem Cooper said live on the BBC as he waited for his father’s body to be returned.
The public reaction has been enthusiastic. While 65,000 Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square and cheered, Gazans expressed mixed relief as they returned to their home strewn with rubble. However, there are still hurdles to overcome. The second phase calls for the complete disarmament of Hamas and a transition to technocratic rule, with rebuilding costs estimated at $50 billion over 10 years.
“The Hamas deal makes clear its intentions and its constraints. It is a positive step, but there is a risk that Hamas will govern Gaza without governing it,” Jonathan Panikov, a former U.S. intelligence official, warned in an analysis for the Atlantic Council.
Experts are keeping an eye on the Egyptian summit for governance talks as hundreds of aid trucks arrive daily. Of the original 251 hostages, 155 are now alive and have returned home, and although the disarmament of Hamas remains a flashpoint, the exchange offers cautious hope for lasting peace.
