The 20 Israeli hostages who were still alive in Hamas custody have finally returned home
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The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that the 20 Israeli hostages who were still alive in Hamas's custody have finally returned to Israeli territory, concluding one of the most sensitive phases of the ceasefire agreement mediated by the United States.
According to a statement from the army, at 11:42 a.m. all the hostages were in Israeli custody.
The released hostages were transferred to Israel through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), where medical teams evaluated them before they were sent to hospitals to receive care and reunite with their families.
The first seven released hostages were identified as: Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor, siblings Gali and Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. Subsequently, in a second release, thirteen more Israelis regained their freedom: Bar Abraham Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Horn, Rom Braslavski, Ariel Cunio, and David Cunio.
Celebrations for the release of the kidnapped individuals
The operation was carried out in two rounds, fewer than initially planned, in what military sources interpret as an attempt by Hamas to complete the process before the speech that United States President Donald Trump will deliver at the Knesset.
The transfers took place at three points in the Strip: Gaza City, the central area, and Khan Yunis in the south.
All hostages from the first group were in stable medical condition and did not require emergency air evacuation. In the coming days, Israel also expects to receive the bodies of hostages killed in captivity, in coordination with the Red Cross, which will supervise the identification and handover process.
The agreement also provides for the release of about 2,000 Palestinian terrorists, transferred both to the Gaza Strip and to cities in Judea and Samaria (West Bank), as well as to countries that agreed to receive them, such as Qatar and Türkiye.
Buses with the first prisoners have already left Ofer and Ketziot prisons en route to their release points, in parallel with the return of the kidnapped Israelis.
The simultaneous releases by both sides reinforce the possibility that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will hold, although key issues remain unsolved, such as the future civil administration of Gaza and the extent of the disarmament of terrorist militias.
Military sources confirmed that the Israeli army has completed its withdrawal from approximately half of the Strip, in all areas where the Palestinian civilian population resides.
Meanwhile, Hamas is attempting to reorganize more than 7,000 terrorists to regain internal control of the enclave, while negotiations continue between the United States, Israel, and several moderate Arab countries regarding Gaza's political future.
The release of the hostages comes after more than two years in captivity, marked by reports of abuse and inhumane conditions at the hands of Hamas. For Israeli families, the return of their loved ones represents the closure of a deep national wound, although the country continues to demand that those responsible for the kidnappings and murders be brought to justice.
