Hamas has released all remaining living Israeli hostages as part of the U.S.-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending the two-year-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group.
The 20 hostages, among more than 200 Israelis abducted during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, were freed on Monday under the terms of a ceasefire deal.
Last week, Israel and Hamas reached a peace agreement facilitated by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. The implementation of the accord will take place in phases.
According to Mr. Trump, the initial steps of the peace process include the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of captives from both sides — measures he described as paving the way for “a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.”
Simultaneously, Israel released several Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement. Al Jazeera reported jubilant scenes as crowds welcomed freed detainees arriving in Ramallah from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
Families and supporters were seen embracing the released prisoners, while in northern Gaza, displaced Palestinians have begun returning to the ruins of their homes amid dire humanitarian conditions.
More than 67,800 people have been killed and over 170,000 injured since the conflict erupted in October 2023, according to reports. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has deepened, with widespread hunger and shortages of essential supplies.
The United Nations has attributed a sharp rise in deaths — including among children — to severe food shortages resulting from Israeli restrictions. The UN also noted recent improvements in humanitarian access, with cooking gas entering Gaza for the first time since March, alongside expanded food and medical deliveries.
