Hamas has released all 20 living Israeli hostages in what officials are calling one of the most significant prisoner exchanges in recent years.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed early Monday, October 13, that the hostages had safely crossed into Israel from Gaza.
Their release marked the end of a tense standoff that had drawn global attention for weeks.
According to the IDF, the freed hostages were immediately met by Israeli medical personnel for preliminary health checks before being airlifted to hospitals across the country for further care and reunification with their loved ones.
Among those released were Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, and Omri Miran, three of the first to regain freedom earlier in the day.
Emotional photos shared by the military showed 48-year-old Omri Miran embracing his wife, Lishay, after being held captive for months.
Miran, who was abducted from his home in Nahal Oz during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, appeared emotional but stable.
The Israeli foreign ministry later confirmed the names of 13 additional hostages, including Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, and Bar Kupershtein, who was taken while working at the Nova music festival.
Meanwhile, buses carrying dozens of Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah and the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run Prisoners Office.
As part of the same deal, Israel is releasing over 1,900 prisoners, many of whom were detained in connection with protests and low-level offenses.
The landmark Hamas-Israel prisoner swap follows weeks of indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with both sides seeking to ease escalating tensions.
In a brief statement, an Israeli military spokesperson said, “We can confirm that all 20 living hostages are back on Israeli soil. They are undergoing medical evaluation and will soon be reunited with their families.”
The hostage release deal is seen as a rare breakthrough in a conflict marked by decades of hostility.
Moreover, humanitarian groups have urged both parties to use the momentum from this exchange to pursue lasting peace and prioritize the welfare of civilians.
