By Joke Kujenya
REMAINING LIVING hostages held in Gaza have been freed and returned to Israel after more than two years in captivity.
The final group of 13 hostages was escorted across the border by the Israeli military, completing the release of all 20 surviving captives in the early hours of the morning.
The development marks a major milestone in the ceasefire deal mediated by the United States between Israel and Hamas.
Hundreds of Palestinians are now awaiting the release of 1,718 detainees held in Israel since October 7, 2023.
Reports say the Israeli Prison Service has begun transferring groups of prisoners from facilities including Ofer and Ketziot prisons.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Office, buses carrying released detainees have crossed into Gaza, where families have gathered at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis to welcome them.
As part of the same deal, 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences are also being released.
US President Donald Trump arrived at the Knesset in Jerusalem shortly after the final group of hostages was freed.
In his address to Israeli lawmakers, Trump described the day as “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
According to excerpts released ahead of the speech, he said: “After so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today, the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace.”
The president called the ceasefire “an incredible triumph for Israel and the world,” emphasising that “Israel has won all that can be won by force of arms.”
He urged regional leaders to transform the military gains into long-term peace and prosperity.
“Now, it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East,” Trump said.
He further warned that decades of extremism and anti-Semitism across the region had “backfired completely and totally.”
Addressing Palestinians in Gaza, Trump said their “total focus must be on restoring stability, safety, dignity, and economic development, so they can finally have the better life their children deserve.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will join Trump at a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, later today.
The summit, co-chaired by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, is expected to bring together leaders from more than 20 nations, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Egyptian Presidency spokesperson Mohammed al-Shinawi confirmed that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will also attend the meeting, which aims to reinforce the Gaza ceasefire and outline the framework for Gaza’s governance.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would play “a special role” alongside the Palestinian Authority in Gaza’s future governance.
Speaking on arrival in Egypt, Macron stated: “France will have a role in achieving lasting peace in Gaza. We are ready and have already begun planning work.”
In Israel, emotional scenes unfolded at the Re’im military facility in the south, where freed hostages were reunited with their families.
Among them was Omri Miran, 48, who was kidnapped when Hamas gunmen entered his home in Nahal Oz in October 2023. His wife, Lishay Miran-Lavi, and father, Dani Miran, welcomed him with tears and relief after 700 days of captivity.
In a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the Miran family said: “After more than 700 long, painful, and agonising days, Omri will finally receive from Roni and Alma a healing embrace.
We are at the beginning of a complex and challenging, yet moving, journey of recovery. May Omri’s return mark the beginning of this recovery and the unity of our people.”
Similar scenes were reported across Israel as families gathered to welcome their loved ones’ home.
The family of Matan Angrest, a 22-year-old Israel Defence Forces soldier captured during the October 7 attacks, expressed gratitude to the United States.
“We can breathe again. Our Matan is home,” the family said in a statement. “A huge, historic, eternal thank you to the president of the United States and his team who worked with dedication and persistence for the rescue and return of our loved ones.”
Medical teams in Tel Aviv are conducting thorough health and psychological assessments of the released hostages. Israeli officials confirmed that the remains of 28 others who died in captivity will also be repatriated as part of the first phase of the peace agreement.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 67,000 people have been killed during Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Large parts of the enclave remain in ruins, with famine declared in northern Gaza. Around 1,200 people were killed, and about 250 were taken hostage during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
