All remaining living Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, marking a major milestone in efforts to end the two-year conflict.
The Israeli military confirmed that the final 13 hostages had been transferred to the Red Cross in Gaza, completing the handover of 20 individuals. Photographs distributed by the Israeli Defense Forces showed the hostages arriving in Reim, southern Israel, on foot and appearing in good condition.
Released Israeli hostages, twins Gali and Ziv Berman, held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, speak together after being released, as part of a prisoner-hostage swap and a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Reim, Israel October 13, 2025. Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
At the same time, buses carrying Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails began moving from Ofer Prison in the West Bank, live footage reported by Reuters showed.
Families wait for their relatives on the day Palestinian prisoners are released from an Israeli jail as part of a hostages-prisoners swap and ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, October 13, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Trumps Address
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Israel Monday morning, greeted at Ben Gurion Airport by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and their spouses. Trump, who is expected to address the Knesset and meet hostage families, described the day as “a great and beautiful day” and praised the peaceful resolution as a “new beginning,”.
A man holding a hat reading: “Trump The Peace President” uses his phone inside the Knesset, on the day U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks, in Jerusalem, October 13, 2025. Kenny Holston/Pool via REUTERS
JERUSALEM – OCTOBER 13: A man wears a cap that reads “Trump The Peace President” as U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the Knesset, on October 13, 2025 in Jerusalem. Chip Somodevilla/Pool via REUTERS
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, shared an emotional account of Trump’s arrival, saying the president had referenced Leiter’s late son, who fought in Gaza. “My heart burst,” Leiter wrote on social media, calling Trump’s efforts instrumental in bringing the hostages home.
During his flight, Trump suggested that Hamas had been granted temporary approval to maintain internal security in Gaza to prevent looting and lawlessness, a move intended to stabilize the territory while aid is delivered and reconstruction begins. Palestinian militants have deployed forces in parts of Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on Friday.
The European Union announced it would resume its monitoring mission at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasizing the complexity of securing peace in the region. Meanwhile, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said that food, cooking gas, and other essential supplies have begun entering Gaza, with a humanitarian scale-up underway, according to Reuters.
The return of the Israeli hostages is a moment of pure joy for those families.
And a moment of relief for the entire world.
It means that a page can be turned. A new chapter can begin.
Europe fully supports the peace plan brokered by the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and…
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 13, 2025
Trump is also set to receive the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor from President Herzog in recognition of his efforts to secure the hostages’ release. Herzog hailed Trump’s actions as laying “the foundations for a new era in the Middle East built on security, cooperation, and genuine hope for a peaceful future,”.
Despite the historic release, analysts and officials cautioned that further challenges remain. Key elements of Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, including the ultimate governance of Gaza and Hamas’s disarmament, are yet to be fully implemented, and Israeli concerns over the militant group’s presence in Gaza persist. Knesset member Simcha Rothman said that Israel should aim for the “total surrender of Hamas” to ensure long-term security, as reported in Reuters.
As families reunited, leaders and citizens described the moment as one of “pure joy,” with Palestinian and Israeli communities awaiting the next steps in rebuilding and stabilizing the region.
