20 Hostages Freed After Two Years in Captivity: A Nation Reunites

October 13, 2025 - TEL AVIV, Israel - In a moment of profound relief and emotional catharsis, all 20 remaining living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were released on Monday, October 13, 2025, marking a pivotal step in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement aimed at ending two years of devastating conflict.

President @realDonaldTrump addresses Israel's Knesset: "After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families... And after so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today, 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-a land and a region that will live, God willing, in peace for all eternity."

The hostages-civilians and soldiers alike-had been abducted during the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack that launched the Israel-Hamas war. Their faces had become symbols of national anguish, appearing on posters across Israel and in the hearts of families who never stopped hoping. After 738 days in captivity, they were handed over to the Red Cross and returned to Israel, where scenes of tearful reunions played out across the country.

Among those freed were individuals taken from the Nova music festival, a site of horrific violence where nearly 400 people were killed and dozens kidnapped. The group includes Alon Ohel, a 24-year-old pianist; Avinatan Or, partner of previously rescued Noa Argamani; and Bar Kupershtein, whose emotional phone call to his mother-"It's OK, Mom. Don't worry"-was shared widely online.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which had tirelessly advocated for their release, issued a statement: "Our struggle is not over. It will not end until the last hostage is located and returned for proper burial. This is our moral obligation. Only then will the people of Israel be whole".

As part of the ceasefire deal, Hamas also agreed to return the remains of more than two dozen hostages who did not survive. The release of the living hostages was not accompanied by staged ceremonies, a departure from previous exchanges. However, in a rare gesture, Hamas allowed the hostages to use phones to contact their families while awaiting transport-creating surreal scenes of joy amid masked captors.

The ceasefire agreement also includes the release of over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, with the first buses departing Ofer Prison on Monday afternoon.

For Israel, the return of these 20 hostages represents a bittersweet victory-joy tempered by grief for those lost and determination to bring closure to every family still waiting. As the country celebrates their return, the broader hope is that this moment signals a turning point toward peace and healing in a region long scarred by war.

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