Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages in Gaza on Monday (Oct. 13) as Israel began freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners under a U.S.-backed ceasefire that has paused two years of war and paved the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East — a moment of relief that regional church leaders say must become the start of a “true, lasting peace rooted in justice, mercy, and truth.”
Cheering crowds greeted buses of prisoners arriving in the West Bank, while in Tel Aviv, relatives of the freed hostages wept and embraced as news of their release spread.
All 20 hostages, all men, were returned to Israel for medical checks and reunions with their families, the Israeli military said. The remains of 28 others believed to have been killed in captivity are also expected to be handed over under the deal, though the timing remains unclear, according to the Associated Press and other media reports.
The prisoner exchange was the centerpiece of a ceasefire agreement mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar. Israel is releasing more than 1,900 Palestinians, including 250 convicted in deadly attacks and hundreds held without charge during the war.
The ceasefire has halted fighting that began when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s military response has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians (a figure that does not distinguish between combatants and civilians) and has devastated much of Gaza, which U.N. officials describe as “a wasteland,” and driven nearly 90% of its residents from their homes.
Trump arrived in Israel on Monday, declaring “the war is over” as he prepared to address the Knesset and meet with newly freed hostages. Vice President JD Vance said the president also planned to discuss postwar governance of Gaza and humanitarian recovery.
Later Monday, Trump is scheduled to travel to Egypt for a summit with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and leaders from more than 20 countries to outline the U.S. plan for Gaza’s future. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to attend.
The American plan envisions an international administration to oversee Gaza, with Palestinian technocrats managing civil affairs and an Arab-led peacekeeping force ensuring security. The framework also calls for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces and a potential long-term pathway toward a Palestinian state — a point still opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed not to cede control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority.
In Israel, tens of thousands gathered at hostages’ square in Tel Aviv, cheering as television screens broadcast images of the freed men arriving home. Photos released by the military showed reunions between relatives long separated by the war.
In the West Bank, crowds lined the streets of Beitunia to welcome buses carrying freed Palestinian detainees. The releases were supervised by the International Committee of the Red Cross and monitored by U.N. officials.
Major questions remain about who will govern Gaza and whether Hamas will agree to disarm. Israeli forces have withdrawn from several areas but remain stationed in Rafah, parts of northern Gaza and along the border with Israel.
“The ceasefire offers a glimmer of hope,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said. “But much of Gaza remains uninhabitable, and the road to recovery will be long.”
Amid global relief, some church leaders in the region called for prayer and cautioned that the ceasefire is still fragile.
“As the latest ceasefire in Gaza takes hold, and as we witness the long-awaited release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees, many around the world are breathing a sigh of relief. We thank God for every life spared, and every family reunited,” said Rev. Dr. Jack Sara, head of the Middle East Evangelical Alliance.
“Yet those of us who live and serve in the Holy Land know how fragile this peace can be and how difficult it will be to rebuild,” Sara said. “The sound of weapons may have paused, but the pain, fear, and injustice continue. If this ceasefire is to mean anything, it must become more than a temporary pause — it must be the beginning of a true, lasting peace rooted in justice, mercy, and truth.”
