All 20 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza are now home after 738 days of captivity

13 October 2025

People in Tel Aviv watch a live broadcast of the Israeli hostages being released from Gaza at a plaza known as Hostages Square on Monday. (Oded Balilty/The Associated Press)

In a dramatic turn of history, all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were released and reunited with their families on Monday, ending one of the longest hostage crises in the region’s recent memory. The returns were part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered by international mediators, that also involves the reciprocal release of over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.

After more than two years of anxiety, waiting, and heartbreak, photographs released by the Israel Defense Forces show tearful reunions at military reception centers. The hostages, who had spent their time in captivity across Gaza, are now being cared for medically, psychologically, and by loved ones who for years have held on to hope.

The ceasefire plan underpinning this exchange also stipulates that Israel will free detainees and prisoners many of them held without trial and gradually withdraw troops from large parts of Gaza. In doing so, negotiators aim to shift a landscape dominated by conflict into one where peace might begin to take hold.

Still, the emotional cost of delay is palpable. Among the hostages were civilians, soldiers, older adults, and men whose captivity became a symbol of the war’s toll. Their families say many suffered in uncertainty, enduring false leads, cryptic messages, and long nights of waiting. Now that they are back, their path to recovery is only beginning.

Compounding the moment is the fact that 28 hostages were confirmed dead during or prior to captivity. The agreement includes terms for returning their remains, though no firm schedule has been publicly disclosed.

At the moment of release, hope swept across Israel. Crowds gathered at arrival points, waving Israeli flags, calling names, and embracing those who had returned. For many, the separation was not just geographical it was spiritual and emotional, fractured by conflict, fear, and what seemed like endless waiting.

World leaders have hailed the exchange as a turning point. The U.S. publicly celebrated the action, and officials are calling this ceasefire a foundational step toward a longer peace. But the deeper work lies ahead: de-escalation, reconstruction, accountability, and addressing long standing mistrust and grievances on both sides.

The war in Gaza has left devastation in its wake: massive civilian casualties, widespread destruction of infrastructure, and a humanitarian crisis unmatched in scale. This ceasefire allows, in principle, for expanded aid, medical access, and relief efforts into Gaza. Yet billions of dollars in reconstruction, security planning, and international oversight remain to be figured out.

For the released hostages themselves, the challenges are personal. Many have endured malnutrition, disease, torture, sensory deprivation, or isolation. Psychological scars will run deep. As they reenter their families, communities, and lives, they will need care, trust, and time to heal.

Some families express both relief and sorrow. Relief for those returned, sorrow for those still missing, and anxiety over whether all remains will be recovered. The negotiation left some questions unanswered. Among them: how to ensure the ceasefire holds, what governance means for Gaza's future, and whether this exchange opens space for political solutions or simply a fragile pause.

This moment is not the end of conflict but it is one of the rare instances when human lives, not just geopolitics, take center stage. For each freed hostage, the story is not just about years lost but years to be reclaimed. For millions touched by the war, it is a reminder that even amid pain, hope persists.