HAMAS RELEASES ALL 20 SURVIVING HOSTAGES IN GAZA PEACE DEAL. (PHOTO).

Hamas releases all 20 surviving hostages in Gaza peace deal

Hamas released all 20 surviving Israeli hostages on Monday morning as part of a Gaza peace deal brokered by the Trump administration. Most of the hostages were civilians who had been held in captivity in Gaza for more than two years, and their freedom marks a major milestone in efforts to end the conflict.

The release began shortly before President Trump arrived in Israel on a Middle East trip aimed at advancing the peace plan. Under the agreement, Hamas was required to free all 20 hostages by noon local time. The first group of seven was handed over to the Red Cross around 8 a.m., which then transferred them to Israeli forces inside Gaza. The remaining 13 hostages were released two hours later, after video calls were arranged so families could communicate with their loved ones prior to their return. The hostages were taken to a military base outside Gaza to reunite with family members, then transported to Israeli hospitals for medical care. Many spent the past two years in underground tunnels with minimal food, water, and almost no medical attention, leaving officials concerned about their overall health.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff called the release “a moment of relief and happiness” while acknowledging the ongoing grief for families whose loved ones did not survive. As part of the agreement, Hamas is also obligated to retrieve the bodies of 28 deceased hostages, including two Americans, Itay Chen and Omer Neutra. Some bodies remain difficult to locate, as Hamas claimed that guards were killed or bodies were buried under rubble. A multinational task force has been established to search for and recover the deceased.

In return for the release of the living hostages, Israel agreed to free 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians detained after Oct. 7. However, Israel refused to release Hamas militants involved in the October attacks or a dozen high-profile prisoners, including Hamas military leader Ibrahim Hamed and former Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti.