Living hostages and Palestinian prisoners freed as part of Gaza ceasefire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Hamas released the remaining 20 living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, while Israel began freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire that has paused two years of devastating conflict. The war had killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, left vast parts of Gaza in ruins, and held scores of captives in militant custody.

All of the freed hostages are men who have since returned to Israel for medical evaluation and reunions with their families. The remains of 28 other hostages who died in captivity are also expected to be handed over, though the timing of their return remains uncertain.

At the same time, buses carrying dozens of Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah and in the Gaza Strip. Israel is set to release more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees under the agreement. Cheering crowds greeted the arrivals in Ramallah, while at least one bus crossed into Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Prisoners Office.

The exchange of hostages and prisoners has fueled cautious optimism for an end to what has become the deadliest war between Israel and Hamas. The ceasefire is also expected to open the way for increased humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, where parts of the territory are suffering from famine.

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the region to discuss the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and postwar plans with regional leaders.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. In Israel’s subsequent offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. The United Nations and independent experts have cited the ministry’s figures as the most reliable available estimates.

“Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the Associated Press on Sunday.

In Israel, families of hostages gathered in Tel Aviv erupted in cheers as news broke that the first group had been handed over to the Red Cross. Israeli television broadcast images of the freed men, including 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing after their release. Hostages freed earlier had said the twins, from Kfar Aza, were held separately.

In Ramallah, Israeli forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds awaiting the release of Palestinian prisoners. Witnesses said drones hovered overhead as leaflets were distributed, warning that those “supporting terrorist organizations” risked arrest. The Israeli military declined to comment on the flyers.

Among the 1,900 released prisoners are 250 people serving life sentences for attacks on Israelis, and 1,700 others detained from Gaza without formal charges. Many will be sent to the West Bank, Gaza, or into exile.

The hostages’ return marks the end of a painful period for Israel. For nearly two years, the captives’ families had held weekly demonstrations calling for their release, while the nation’s media tracked the days of their captivity.

As public pressure mounted, critics accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of delaying negotiations for political reasons, while he blamed Hamas for refusing to compromise. The eventual ceasefire came after growing international pressure and Israel’s increasing diplomatic isolation.

It remains unclear when the bodies of the 28 deceased hostages will be returned. Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons, said an international task force would locate and repatriate remains not returned within 72 hours.

Trump, speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Israel, declared, “The war is over,” though significant uncertainties remain over Gaza’s future and Hamas’s role. Israel insists Hamas must disarm, a demand the militant group rejects.

Under the U.S. plan, an international body would oversee Gaza’s administration, with Palestinian technocrats managing daily governance. Hamas has said Gaza’s leadership should be determined by Palestinians themselves.

Trump is expected to travel to Egypt later Monday for a summit with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and leaders from more than 20 countries to discuss the region’s future. Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas will attend, according to his adviser Mahmoud al-Habbash.

Although Egypt initially announced that Netanyahu would join the summit, his office later said he would not attend due to a Jewish holiday.

The U.S. proposal also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority, contingent on internal reforms, and the deployment of an Arab-led international security force in Gaza. About 200 U.S. troops are currently in Israel to help monitor the ceasefire.

The plan also references the possibility of a future Palestinian state, a prospect long opposed by Netanyahu, leaving many questions about the path to lasting peace in the region.