Hamas on Monday transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) the last 13 living Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, after an initial group of seven were handed over earlier in the day under a ceasefire arrangement.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had taken custody of the 13 and that all 20 living hostages covered by the agreement were being moved to military reception points in southern Israel for medical checks and reunions with relatives.
The phased operation began with seven hostages collected by ICRC teams inside Gaza and delivered to Israeli personnel. The IDF confirmed that the first group crossed into Israeli territory and underwent initial examinations before onward transfer to hospitals. The handovers were coordinated with Israeli security services and conducted along pre-arranged routes, with Red Cross convoys observed moving through Khan Younis amid extensive damage to surrounding neighbourhoods.
Israeli and international outlets named the first seven as Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. Photographs released later showed the Berman brothers together following their reception by Israeli forces. Authorities said all those released would receive medical and psychological assessments as standard procedure.
Crowds gathered throughout Monday in central Tel Aviv’s Hostages’ Square, where public screenings carried live updates on the transfers. Applause and chants broke out as the initial handover was announced, with family representatives and support groups remaining on site while convoys proceeded to reception points near the Gaza perimeter.
Under the terms outlined by officials and reported by multiple outlets, the release of the 20 living hostages is being carried out in exchange for the liberation of more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody. The agreement also provides for the handover of the bodies of 28 deceased hostages, with timings subject to operational conditions. The ICRC, acting as neutral intermediary, confirmed its role in facilitating transfers but provided no further operational detail.
The exchanges form part of a broader ceasefire designed to pause more than two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas. Officials indicated the truce is expected to be accompanied by an increase in humanitarian deliveries to Gaza. Scenes on Monday included residents navigating destroyed areas and aid convoys moving through damaged streets in the south of the Strip.
The developments coincided with a regional visit by U.S. President Donald Trump, who arrived in Israel before travelling on to Egypt for talks with regional leaders on post-war arrangements. Israeli officials said the agenda includes discussion of security guarantees, governance mechanisms for Gaza and sequencing for further steps under the ceasefire framework. Trump was expected to meet families of freed hostages while in Israel.
During the day, Israeli media published images of hostages meeting military and medical personnel after the initial transfers. The IDF reiterated that reception protocols include identification, urgent care where required and structured family reunions at designated facilities. Officials declined to release detailed timetables for subsequent movements, citing security considerations.
In parallel, Palestinians awaited the release of prisoners listed for liberation under the deal. Crowds gathered near Ofer Prison in the West Bank amid a visible security presence, according to local reporting. Israeli authorities have not published a full schedule for prisoner releases and indicated operations would proceed in stages depending on the progress of the hostage transfers.
The ceasefire follows prolonged negotiations involving international mediators. Reporting on Monday suggested that while the transfer of the 20 living hostages had been completed, arrangements for the return of remains would continue in line with understandings reached last week. Officials and mediators have cautioned that implementation could be adjusted in response to conditions on the ground.
The war began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports more than 67,000 Palestinians killed over the course of Israel’s subsequent military operations; the ministry does not separate civilians from combatants. Monday’s transfers marked the first full handover of all living hostages covered by a ceasefire package since the start of the conflict.
As of Monday evening, Israeli authorities said the released hostages had reached Israeli facilities or were en route, with further medical evaluations to follow. The government has urged media to avoid publishing identifying medical details and asked the public to allow time for families’ private reunions.
Hamas stance: full Gaza withdrawal required after delivery of all remaining captives
