Historic Breakthrough: Hamas Frees 20 Israeli Hostages as Trump's Peace Deal Takes Effect

Israeli-Palestinian conflictDonald Trump

Oct 13

Families rejoice and the world watches as Hamas frees final Israeli hostages in a U.S.-brokered peace deal, marking a historic turning point

Written By EEW Magazine Global News Editors

*Louis Har, left, and Fernando Simon Marman, second from right, were met at Sheba medical centre by their family after being rescued in an overnight Israeli raid on Rafah.* ***Photo Credit: Israel Defense Forces/Reuters***

In a momentous development that could mark a turning point in one of the region’s deadliest conflicts, Hamas released all 20 surviving Israeli hostages on October 13, 2025, as part of a comprehensive peace deal brokered by the administration of Donald Trump.

The hostages, who endured more than 730 days in captivity following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, were handed over in two groups and swiftly reunited with their families in Israel, prompting emotional scenes across the nation.

This release fulfills the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, aimed at ending more than two years of war that has claimed more than 67,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and left Gaza in ruins.

*A woman reacts as people celebrate at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv as news came out that Hamas has already handed over seven surviving hostages to the Red Cross on October 13, 2025.* ***Photo Credit: AFP, Menahem Kahana***

The hostages’ ordeal began with the deadly assault that killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel and led to the abduction of 251 individuals into Gaza. Over the course of the conflict, many died in captivity, leaving only 20 confirmed alive by the time the deal was implemented.

Held primarily in underground tunnels with limited access to food, water, and medical care, the hostages’ release was a central condition for Israel to agree to a ceasefire. Those freed include civilians such as Matan Tsengauker, Maxim Harkin, and Nimrod Cohen, whose families waged relentless campaigns for their return.

The release operation began early Monday morning. Seven hostages were transferred first to the Red Cross shortly after 8 a.m. local time, then to Israeli forces inside Gaza. Two hours later, the remaining 13 followed, after Hamas arranged brief video calls to connect them with their families, a gesture publicized in Israeli media.

All were taken to a military base for reunions and then transported to hospitals for medical evaluations. Israeli health officials expressed concern about the hostages’ physical and psychological condition after two years in harsh captivity.

In exchange, Israel began releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 detained since the war’s start. Buses carrying the freed detainees arrived in Gaza and the West Bank to cheering crowds.

Trump’s diplomatic role was central to the negotiations, which involved mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. The final agreement, reached last week in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, includes Israel’s partial withdrawal from Gaza, the creation of a multinational task force to recover the remains of 28 deceased hostages, and provisions for Hamas to disarm.

*Trump at the Knesset,in Jerusalem, October 13, 2025.* ***Photo Credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool***

Trump, who announced the plan on October 8, timed his visit to Israel to coincide with the releases. In an address to the Knesset, making him the fourth U.S. president to do so, he declared, “The skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace.”

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana hailed Trump as “the best friend that the state of Israel has ever had,” while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his “pivotal leadership,” crediting U.S. pressure and diplomacy for the breakthrough.

Trump’s team, including Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, played active roles in the talks. Witkoff described the day as “deeply gratifying” while acknowledging the grief of families whose loved ones were killed. “Today, twenty families are spared the unbearable pain of not knowing if they will ever see their loved ones again,” he said.

Before his speech, Trump met privately with hostage families. Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Israel, he said, “The war is over,” expressing confidence that the ceasefire would hold as both sides grow “tired of it.”

In Israel, thousands gathered at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square to wave flags and celebrate as the releases were broadcast live. Many cheered Trump’s arrival, crediting him with helping to bring their loved ones home.

On the Palestinian side, humanitarian operations began ramping up as aid entered Gaza. According to the United Nations, nearly all 2.2 million residents have been displaced, and relief agencies are urging safe and sustained access to deliver food, water, and medical supplies.

The next phases of the agreement focus on Gaza’s governance. An international “Board of Peace,” chaired by Trump, is expected to convene a summit in Egypt with more than 20 world leaders, including Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty expressed optimism about the plan’s implementation and reiterated the need for a Palestinian state as part of a lasting peace.

Trump is slated to receive Egypt’s Order of the Nile for his role in the negotiations. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also announced that Trump will receive the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor. Israel has formally endorsed his nomination for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

The release of the last hostages and the signing of the ceasefire have offered something that has eluded the region for decades: a fragile but tangible hope for peace.