 "Watch: Israel erupts in joy as all living hostages return home after 2 years in Hamas captivity")
Israel erupted in joy on Monday as Hamas handed over 20 surviving hostages under a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, who arrived in Israel ahead of a summit on Gaza.
The releases come after militants seized 251 hostages on October 7, 2023, during an unprecedented attack that claimed 1,219 lives, mostly civilians. Israel is due to release nearly 2,000 detainees, including 250 convicted of killing Israelis, in exchange, while Hamas will return the bodies of 27 hostages who died in captivity and the remains of a soldier killed in 2014.
In Tel Aviv, crowds supporting hostage families erupted in tears, song and celebration, though the grief for those who did not survive remained evident. Most hostages had already been freed in earlier truces, leaving the remaining families in prolonged anguish.
Take a look at the video:
🇮🇱💙Listen to the huge cheer as thousands of Israelis hear the announcement that the first 7 hostages released are officially in the hands of the IDF.pic.twitter.com/r5Fbq0lYOy
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) October 13, 2025
Gaza Faces Slow Recovery Amid Ceasefire
In Gaza, the ceasefire has brought relief but also stark reminders of the conflict’s devastation. Fatima Salem, 38, returned to her neighbourhood in Gaza City, describing the destruction around her: “Nothing looked the same, even the neighbours’ houses were gone. Despite the exhaustion and fear, I felt like I was coming back to my safe place. We will pitch a tent next to it and wait for reconstruction.”
Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, announced in late September, paved the way for the ceasefire, though negotiators were still finalising the exchange, with Hamas insisting on the release of seven senior Palestinian leaders, some of whom Israel has rejected. Following Israel, Trump will travel to Egypt to co-host a summit with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, bringing together over 20 world leaders to support his peace plan.
The agreement foresees a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, replaced by a multi-national force under a US-led command. Trump has claimed he has “guarantees” from both sides regarding the initial phase of the plan and suggested a new governing body for Gaza will be established rapidly under his plan, though he did not specify when he might visit the territory.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, Israel’s campaign has killed at least 67,806 people, with more than half of the dead being women and children.
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