Israel says all 20 surviving Gaza hostages back home

Israel foreign ministry on Monday said that the last 20 living hostages released by Hamas had arrived in the country.

“Welcome home,” the foreign ministry wrote in a series of posts on X, hailing the return of Matan Angrest, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Elkana Bohbot, Rom Braslavski, Nimrod Cohen, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Evyatar David, Guy Gilboa Dalal, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Segev Kalfon, Bar Kuperstein, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, Yosef Haim Ohana, Alon Ohel, Avinatan Or and Matan Zangauker.

The Israeli military confirmed that Hamas had handed over a second group of 13 surviving hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza on Monday, completing the release of all 20 living captives.

“According to information provided by the Red Cross, 13 hostages have been transferred into their custody and are on their way to IDF (military) and ISA (security agency) forces in the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement.

Hamas handed over the 20 surviving Israeli hostages on Monday under a ceasefire agreement, as US President Donald Trump and other world leaders geared up for a summit on Gaza.

In Tel Aviv, a huge crowd which gathered to support hostage families erupted in joy, tears and song as news broke of the first releases, though the pain for the loss of those who had not survived was palpable.

The releases are part of a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, with Israel due in return to free nearly 2,000 detainees held in its jails in exchange.

The handover came as Trump arrived in Israel for a visit ahead of a trip to Egypt for a peace summit, having declared the war “over”.

“According to information provided by the Red Cross, seven hostages have been transferred into their custody, and are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli military and security service said.

Citing an Israeli official, the country’s public broadcaster later reported the release of 13 other hostages.

Among those gathered on Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Noga shared her pain and joy with AFP.

Israel has said it does not expect all of the dead hostages to be returned on Monday.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas was due to return the bodies of the 27 hostages who died or were killed in captivity, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in 2014 during a previous Gaza conflict.

Among those Israel was due to release in exchange are 250 security detainees, including many convicted of killing Israelis, while about 1,700 were detained by the Israeli army in Gaza during the war.

Hamas on Monday urged US President Donald Trump and the mediators of the Gaza ceasefire deal to ensure that Israel does not resume military operations in the territory.

“We welcome the statement by US President Trump, who clearly affirmed the end of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP.

“We call on all mediators and international parties to continue monitoring Israel’s conduct and to ensure it does not resume its aggression against our people in Gaza,” he added.