A tense chapter in the Israel-Hamas conflict saw a dramatic turn on Monday, October 13, 2025, as Hamas released all 20 living Israeli and foreign hostages it still held in Gaza. The exchange, brokered by former US President Donald Trump, also saw Israel free 250 Palestinian prisoners, in what leaders on both sides called the first phase of a broader peace initiative for Gaza.
Ceasefire and Hostage Exchange
The ceasefire took effect at midday local time (09:00 GMT) on Friday, pausing two years of brutal warfare that erupted after Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Under the terms of the deal, Hamas was required to hand over 48 hostages in total — 20 confirmed alive and 28 believed to be dead — by noon on Monday. The first seven living hostages were transferred to the Red Cross in Gaza on Monday morning, as crowds gathered in Tel Aviv’s “hostages square” to celebrate the long-awaited releases. The remaining 13 hostages were handed over later the same day, according to Israeli and international media reports.
The agreement also stipulates that the remains of all deceased hostages should be returned to Israel by Monday afternoon. However, the ceasefire text acknowledges the possibility that not all bodies may be located within the tight timeframe.
Unresolved Issues and Fragile Truce
While the release of hostages and prisoners is a significant breakthrough, major questions remain. Trump, who arrived in Israel ahead of a peace summit in Egypt, declared, “The war is over. This is a great day. This is a new beginning.” Yet, the ceasefire’s wording remains vague on a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza — a point Hamas is pressing for further clarity on.
Notably, the broader 20-point peace plan’s most sensitive elements, such as post-war governance in Gaza and the future of Hamas’s armed wing, are still unresolved. Despite Trump’s assertion that Hamas would comply with disarmament, the group has so far rejected Israel’s demands, leaving the ceasefire’s future uncertain.
Under the agreement, Israel is expected to eventually release up to 2,000 Palestinian detainees, though only 250 were freed in this initial phase. The emotional scenes in Tel Aviv and Gaza, with families reconnecting over video calls and crowds anxiously awaiting news, underscore both the human cost and the fragile hope that hangs over this historic but precarious truce.
