In a landmark breakthrough bringing an end to over two years of devastating conflict, Hamas on Monday released the final group of hostages held in Gaza, while Israel freed more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to welcome the development, writing, “We welcome the release of all hostages after over two years of captivity. Their freedom stands as a tribute to the courage of their families, the unwavering peace efforts of President Trump and the strong resolve of Prime Minister Netanyahu. We support President Trump’s sincere efforts to bring peace to the region.”
We welcome the release of all hostages after over two years of captivity. Their freedom stands as a tribute to the courage of their families, the unwavering peace efforts of President Trump and the strong resolve of Prime Minister Netanyahu. We support President Trump’s sincere…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 13, 2025
According to the Associated Press, the exchange marks a critical step toward ending one of the deadliest wars between Israel and Hamas. Buses carrying dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah and the Gaza Strip as part of the agreement.
Seven Israeli Hostages Reunited With Families
As per the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the first seven Israeli hostages — Eitan Mor, Alon Ohel, Ziv Berman, Gali Berman, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Omri Miran, and Matan Angrest — have safely crossed into Israel and are now undergoing medical evaluations in southern Israel.
Personnel from the IDF Manpower Directorate and medical teams are accompanying the freed hostages, while representatives remain with their families during the emotional reunions. “IDF representatives are accompanying all family members who are waiting at the hospital and continue to provide them with ongoing updates. The IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on,” the force said in a statement.
Footage released by the IDF showed the moment the hostages were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross before crossing into Israel.
Watch the moments that Rom Broslavski, Nimrod Cohen, and Eitan Horn were welcomed back home into Israel by the IDF 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/panFrDZfoI
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 13, 2025
Hamas to Return Bodies of Four Deceased Hostages
The Times of Israel reported that Hamas has agreed to hand over the bodies of four deceased hostages — Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi, and Daniel Perez — to the Red Cross. The statement from Hamas did not specify the timing of the transfer.
Illouz was taken from the Nova music festival and succumbed to his injuries in a Gaza hospital due to a lack of medical treatment. Perez, a 22-year-old platoon commander from Yad Binyamin, was killed during combat on October 7, 2023, while Sharabi, 53, was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri and slain in captivity. The fate of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali agricultural student, had not been confirmed by Israel, which expressed “grave concern” about him.
World Leaders Welcome Gaza Ceasefire
In a joint summit in Egypt, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his country’s willingness to assist in monitoring the ceasefire and disarming Hamas. “We stand ready in relation to monitoring the ceasefire and decommissioning Hamas capability and weaponry, and that’s drawing on our experience in Northern Ireland and the IRA, which we dealt with in particular in relation to decommissioning,” he said alongside Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Starmer added that Britain was “ready to play its full part” in ensuring the ceasefire leads to lasting peace.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also hailed the agreement, calling it a “crucial milestone towards peace” and acknowledging that “President Trump made this breakthrough possible.”
As more hostages are expected to be released later in the day, emotional footage has emerged of families speaking to their loved ones ahead of their return from captivity. “We are waiting to hug, smell, and breathe our son,” said Avishai David, father of hostage Evyatar David, in an interview with Channel 12.
The release and exchange — facilitated with the support of U.S. President Donald Trump — mark the first phase of a wider ceasefire agreement, offering a rare moment of hope for a region long scarred by war.
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