On Monday, Oct. 13, Hamas surrendered all surviving Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, freeing 20 individuals into Israeli security services and ending a two‑year siege.
End of Two‑Year Siege
On Monday morning, October 13, Hamas handed all surviving Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The release process started at 7:00 a.m. Polish time and lasted almost two hours.
The Israeli army confirmed that 20 people were transferred to security services and transported to Israel’s territory, where they receive medical and psychological support.
Historic Exchange
Under the same agreement, Israel released almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, mainly those detained after 2023. Hamas also handed over the bodies of 28 Israeli hostages who died in captivity.
The exchange was negotiated with the assistance of the former Donald Trump administration and is the widest deal since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack, which killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251.
Israel’s offense in Gaza lasted more than two years and caused the deaths of over 67,000 Palestinians.
Hope for Lasting Peace
The freeing of the hostages is the first tangible step toward ending the two‑year conflict that paralyzed the Middle East.
The United Nations announced an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, and for the first time in months, gas for cooking, food, and medicine has been delivered to the region.
Reuters reports that buses carrying Palestinian prisoners have already left Israeli prisons.
Trump to Receive Highest Israeli Decoration
President Isaac Herzog announced that, in the coming months, former U.S. President Donald Trump will be awarded the Israeli President’s Medal of Honor for his efforts to liberate Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
The decoration, Israel’s highest civilian award, recognizes extraordinary contributions to the country or humanity. Previous recipients include U.S. Presidents Joe Biden (2022), Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton (2013).
