Hamas Hands Over 20 Israeli Hostages Under US-Brokered Ceasefire

Hamas on Monday released the last 20 surviving Israeli hostages under a ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, marking a major step toward ending the Gaza conflict. The handover took place as Trump arrived in Israel for a brief visit ahead of a regional peace summit in Egypt, declaring that the “war is over.”

According to the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security service, seven hostages were first transferred to the custody of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) inside Gaza and were being brought to Israeli forces. Later in the day, Israeli officials confirmed that a total of 20 living hostages had been freed. The exchange forms part of a broader ceasefire agreement that also includes Israel’s release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, among them individuals convicted of attacks against Israelis.

The mood in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square turned emotional as news of the releases spread. Families of those freed and others still missing gathered in large numbers, celebrating through tears and song. Many expressed mixed emotions — relief for those returning home and sorrow for those who did not survive captivity. Israeli officials have said that not all of the deceased hostages’ remains are expected to be returned immediately.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas is also expected to hand over the bodies of 27 captives who died in Gaza, along with the remains of a soldier killed in 2014 during a previous conflict. In return, Israel will free about 250 long-term prisoners as part of the initial exchange, while an additional 1,700 Palestinians detained during the recent fighting will be released gradually.

The deal follows nearly two years of conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, when 251 people were taken hostage and more than 1,200 were killed, most of them civilians. Since then, multiple short truces and partial exchanges have taken place, but this is the first agreement to include all remaining living hostages. According to figures from Gaza’s health ministry, considered credible by the United Nations, more than 67,000 people have been killed during Israel’s subsequent military campaign, with over half believed to be women and children.

In Gaza, the ceasefire brought a rare moment of calm. Displaced residents began returning to their devastated neighborhoods. “My eyes kept searching for landmarks I had lost — nothing looked the same,” said Fatima Salem, a resident of Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan district. “We will pitch a tent next to the rubble of our home and wait for reconstruction.”

President Trump’s visit to Israel was aimed at consolidating the ceasefire and preparing for an international summit in Egypt, where more than 20 world leaders are expected to discuss Gaza’s future governance and reconstruction. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed confidence that the truce would hold. “I think it’s going to hold. People are tired of it. The war is over,” he said.

In Jerusalem, Trump met with families of the freed hostages and addressed the Israeli parliament, calling the ceasefire “the start of a new era for the Middle East.” He outlined his 20-point plan for Gaza, which envisions a gradual Israeli withdrawal from parts of the territory and the creation of a multinational stabilization force coordinated through a US-led command center in Israel. The plan also includes establishing a new governing body for Gaza to oversee reconstruction and humanitarian relief.

Negotiations over the final details of the exchange continued until late Sunday night, with Hamas insisting that several senior Palestinian leaders be included among those released. Israeli officials have reportedly resisted some of those names, leaving further phases of the prisoner exchange uncertain.

Following his visit to Israel, Trump will travel to Cairo for the peace summit, co-hosted with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The meeting is expected to focus on post-war arrangements, Gaza’s reconstruction, and long-term regional security guarantees. Trump said he holds firm commitments from both Israel and Hamas, as well as from regional partners, regarding the next stages of the agreement. He added that he would be “proud” to visit Gaza himself once security conditions permit.