Hamas has freed all Israeli hostages still alive. On the morning of 13 October, the Palestinian organisation followed through on the agreement signed with Israel, first releasing seven hostages and then, shortly afterwards, the remaining thirteen. Unlike in the past, Hamas staged no ceremony of any kind, and the releases took place in a location closed to the public and the media.

After more than two years in captivity, the twenty hostages still alive have returned to Israel, where thousands of people took to the streets to celebrate and where United States president Donald Trump also arrived, welcomed with full honours by local authorities. Israel must now release approximately 1,700 Palestinians held in its prisons, often without charge or trial. In the meantime, negotiations are continuing on the subsequent phases of the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip.

Israel Defense Forces ✓ @IDF

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It's official: There are no more living Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity.

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All Israeli hostages free

In the early hours of 13 October, the streets of Tel Aviv began to fill with tens of thousands of people. Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed on 10 October by Israel and Hamas, that very morning was set for the release of the last hostages still alive following the Palestinian organisation's attack on Israeli soil on 7 October, which then triggered Israel's genocide in the Gaza Strip, claiming the lives of at least 67,000 people and reducing at least 60 per cent of buildings to rubble.

In the so-called Hostages Square, where for two years families of the hostages have been holding vigils calling for their release and against the Netanyahu government, as many as 100,000 people gathered, all glued to the giant screens. And at 8 o'clock in the morning came the news of the release of the first seven hostages. They are Matan Angrest, Gali and Ziv Berman, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor, Omri Miran and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. Some are Israeli soldiers captured during the military offensive, others are people who lived in the kibbutzim stormed by Hamas, and others were attending the Nova festival. Hamas released these individuals in a private setting, where they were handed over to the Red Cross, who then transferred them to Israeli hospitals, where they were able to embrace their loved ones. As requested by Israel and stipulated in the agreement, there was no propaganda ceremony marking the release by Hamas, as had been the case with other hostages in the past.

While Hamas was releasing the first seven hostages, the others were permitted to connect via video call with their families to reassure them of their imminent release. Which took place shortly afterwards, in the same manner as the first group. The thirteen hostages released are Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio and Ariel Cunio. There are now no living hostages left in Hamas's hands, for the first time since 7 October 2023. The handover to the Israeli army of the bodies of around twenty other hostages, who died during captivity — often as a result of Israeli bombardments — is also expected to take place shortly.

The arrival of Donald Trump

The next step of the agreement signed between Hamas and Israel requires the latter to release approximately 1,700 people held in its prisons. Israel has long pursued a policy of administrative detention, which involves arrest and imprisonment without charge or trial, even for minors. Many of those who will be freed have been in this situation for months if not years, and outside Ofer prison, where many of them are held, a crowd began to gather in anticipation of the release. And by late morning, the first buses carrying Palestinian prisoners being released departed from the prison.

Aviva Klompas ✓ @AvivaKlompas

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When President Trump lands in Israel in a few hours, he'll be greeted with this sight - a giant banner along the Tel Aviv beach thanking him for bringing the hostages home and ending the war

📽️ Aviv Atlas

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Meanwhile, United States president Donald Trump arrived in Israel. He was welcomed by president Isaac Herzog and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while in Tel Aviv messages and banners of thanks appeared in recognition of his efforts, with Trump widely regarded as the architect of the agreement signed between the country and Hamas. Trump then went to the Israeli parliament to address the nation. The next stop on his Middle East trip will take him to Egypt, where a meeting is scheduled with numerous Western and Middle Eastern leaders, including Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, to discuss the subsequent phases of the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip. So far, the first phase — the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops, the halt to bombardments, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid trucks — is proceeding according to plan. Negotiations must now begin on the subsequent phases, relating to the governance and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.