After two years of intense war and stalled negotiations, Hamas on Monday released the first batch of Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza under a new ceasefire agreement. The release, which included seven of the 20 surviving captives, marks the beginning of a large-scale prisoner exchange deal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that the freed hostages are currently en route to Israeli security units stationed at the Gaza border. A Red Cross convoy is also reportedly heading to collect the next group of captives.
In Tel Aviv, a wave of emotions swept through Hostages Square, where families and supporters had gathered. Cheers, tears, and spontaneous songs broke out as news of the first releases filtered through the crowd.
The breakthrough came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Israel for a short visit, aimed at reinforcing the peace plan brokered by Washington. Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, declared the Gaza war “over” and expressed confidence in the truce.
“This is a historic moment. People are tired of the fighting. It’s been centuries,” he told reporters. “The war is over. Okay? You understand that?”
Under the terms of the deal, Hamas is expected to release all 20 surviving Israeli hostages, along with the remains of several others, including a soldier killed during a 2014 conflict. In exchange, Israel will begin freeing around 2,000 Palestinian detainees, including hundreds who were held during the latest round of fighting.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israeli territory, taking 251 hostages and killing over 1,200 people — mostly civilians. While earlier ceasefires led to the release of many captives, 47 remained in custody until today’s operation.
Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and families of released hostages, before heading to Egypt, where he and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will co-host a peace summit involving more than 20 world leaders.
The former U.S. president has proposed a 20-point peace plan, which includes the formation of a multinational peacekeeping force in Gaza and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops. Trump is also expected to head a new interim governing body in Gaza, a controversial proposal that has drawn mixed reactions across the region.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, residents are returning to what is left of their homes. “I came back to my neighbourhood and nothing looked the same,” said 38-year-old Fatima Salem, who returned to the rubble of her house in Sheikh Radwan. “Still, I missed the smell of home. We’ll pitch a tent and start again.”
So far, the truce appears to be holding, but questions remain about how long both sides can maintain peace after years of bloodshed. Negotiators are still ironing out the final lists of prisoners, with Hamas reportedly demanding the inclusion of senior Palestinian figures that Israel has previously refused to release.
As the next phase of hostage transfers begins, the world watches closely — hoping the road to peace will not be cut short by renewed violence.
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