Hamas releases all Israeli hostages; Trump to address Israel parliament
The ceasefire and exchange followed two years of war that expanded into a regional conflict, involving countries such as Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon.
- Oct 13, 2025,
- Updated Oct 13, 2025 2:26 PM IST
The exchange of hostages and prisoners took place Monday as the first step in a ceasefire agreement intended to halt the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Hamas released all the surviving Israeli hostages, who were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross by Hamas's armed wing.
Israel, under the deal, is set to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and convicted prisoners. Nearly 2,000 detainees boarded buses at Israeli prisons, with most expected to be released at Gaza's Nasser Hospital. Masked gunmen, believed to be members of Hamas’s armed wing, arrived at the hospital, while crowds gathered in Israel and Tel Aviv to await news of the hostages’ return.
The ceasefire and exchange followed two years of war that expanded into a regional conflict, involving countries such as Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon. The conflict began on October 7, 2023 with a Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 251 hostages. Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza have since killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
On Monday, the armed wing of Hamas stated its commitment to the deal’s terms, contingent on Israel’s compliance. It claimed Israel agreed to a ceasefire and swap after failing to free hostages through military means. President Donald Trump, credited with helping broker the agreement, said: "The war is over," and added, "I think it's going to normalise."
Trump, who has landed in Israel for this historic moment, will also address the Israeli parliament.
International attention now turns to the next stages of the peace process, with over twenty world leaders meeting in Egypt to discuss further steps, including Gaza's future governance and the fate of Hamas. While the exchange signals a potential shift, unresolved issues remain for lasting stability in the region.
The exchange of hostages and prisoners took place Monday as the first step in a ceasefire agreement intended to halt the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Hamas released all the surviving Israeli hostages, who were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross by Hamas's armed wing.
Israel, under the deal, is set to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and convicted prisoners. Nearly 2,000 detainees boarded buses at Israeli prisons, with most expected to be released at Gaza's Nasser Hospital. Masked gunmen, believed to be members of Hamas’s armed wing, arrived at the hospital, while crowds gathered in Israel and Tel Aviv to await news of the hostages’ return.
The ceasefire and exchange followed two years of war that expanded into a regional conflict, involving countries such as Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon. The conflict began on October 7, 2023 with a Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 251 hostages. Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza have since killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
On Monday, the armed wing of Hamas stated its commitment to the deal’s terms, contingent on Israel’s compliance. It claimed Israel agreed to a ceasefire and swap after failing to free hostages through military means. President Donald Trump, credited with helping broker the agreement, said: "The war is over," and added, "I think it's going to normalise."
Trump, who has landed in Israel for this historic moment, will also address the Israeli parliament.
International attention now turns to the next stages of the peace process, with over twenty world leaders meeting in Egypt to discuss further steps, including Gaza's future governance and the fate of Hamas. While the exchange signals a potential shift, unresolved issues remain for lasting stability in the region.