GAZA STRIP/TEL AVIV, 13 October (H.S.): In a pivotal moment of a fragile ceasefire, the militant group Hamas transferred seven Israeli hostages to the custody of the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip on Monday. The release, part of a comprehensive agreement, is the first of several planned for the day, with the remaining living hostages expected to be freed in approximately two hours.
The release triggered emotional scenes across Israel, particularly at Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, where crowds erupted in cheers while watching a live broadcast from Gaza on giant screens set up by the government. Waving flags and posters bearing the hostages’ images, families and supporters celebrated the news, with many having held vigils overnight. Some families are gathered at the Re’im military air base, where the freed hostages are expected to be brought for initial reunions.
This first group is part of a larger agreement brokered under the ceasefire, with Hamas expected to release a total of 20 living hostages. The release of the next group is anticipated around 10 AM from Khan Younis. The timing represents a slight delay from the initial 9 AM schedule, which coincides with the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump in Israel for a peace summit .
In preparation for their return, Tel Aviv has been adorned with banners and artwork, especially on the roads surrounding the hospitals where the former captives will receive care, including Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center, and Beilinson Medical Center. Banners read, Finally home! and We have been waiting for you.In exchange, Israel is set to release approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
The list of those to be freed includes Ahmed Mahmad Jamil Shahada, a Gaza resident convicted of the 1989 rape and murder of a teenager. Because the court did not classify his crime as a terrorist act, he was deemed eligible for the swap. The Israeli government conducted a late-night telephone vote to approve last-minute changes to the prisoner roster, disqualifying two individuals just before the exchange.
The exchange occurs against a backdrop of immense devastation in Gaza. Since the ceasefire took effect on Friday, rescue workers have recovered at least 295 bodies from the rubble. The nearly two-year conflict has decimated the strip, with a UN estimate indicating over 430,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, leaving behind 61 million tons of debris.
A spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense stated on Saturday that an estimated 10,000 Palestinians are still believed to be buried under the ruins.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
