Hamas and Israel begin prisoner exchange before Gaza summit

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Celebrations successful Israel arsenic surviving captives held by Hamas freed. Israel’s merchandise of astir 2,000 Palestinians nether way.

Published On 13 Oct 2025

Hamas has released each 20 of the surviving captives it had been holding successful the Gaza Strip, with the merchandise of astir 2,000 Palestinian prisoners by Israel nether way, arsenic the 2 sides transportation retired the conditions of the ceasefire deal.

Cheers broke retired successful Israel aboriginal connected Monday, arsenic tv channels announced that the archetypal batch of 7 captives had been handed implicit to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

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The Israeli subject aboriginal confirmed that 13 much captives taken from Israel connected October 7, 2023, who had been held successful Gaza for much than 2 years, were besides transferred.

Meanwhile, preparations for the merchandise of Palestinian prisoners held successful Israeli jails were progressing, with buses seen extracurricular the Ofer subject prison, successful the occupied West Bank, wherever galore of the Palestinian prisoners owed to beryllium released were held.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bureau said the prisoners would beryllium released erstwhile Israel received confirmation that each the surviving captives were connected Israeli territory.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, successful a station connected X, identified the captives released successful the archetypal radical arsenic Guy Gilboa Dalal, 24, Eitan Mor, 25, Matan Angrest, 22, Alon Ohel, 24, Gali and Ziv Berman, some 28, and Omri Miran, 48.

Families were reunited with their loved ones earlier the released captives were flown to hospitals for aesculapian treatment.

Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh said the released captives were “reported to beryllium successful tenable condition, walking without needing aesculapian assistance”.

Ohel’s parents told The Times of Israel that their lad “looks amazing” and is “standing connected his ain 2 feet”, portion Mor’s parent told Ynet News that her lad “looks great, though bladed and pale”.

Earlier, Netanyahu’s spokesperson had said Israel expected that each surviving captives would beryllium released earlier the 09:00 GMT deadline, nether the presumption of the ceasefire statement projected by United States President Donald Trump.

However, Israel does not expect the repatriation of the bodies of the remaining 28 captives to beryllium completed connected Monday, contempt a 72-hour deadline agreed nether the deal, the spokesperson said.

‘The warfare is over’

While cardinal questions stay implicit the aboriginal of Gaza and Hamas’s relation successful the territory, the speech of captives and prisoners has raised hopes for ending the devastating war, which has ravaged the enclave, with astatine slightest 67,806 radical killed and 170,066 wounded successful the Palestinian enclave.

The ceasefire is besides expected to let for a surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, wherever famine has breached retired amid Israel’s bombardment and blockade of the territory. Many of Gaza’s 2.3 cardinal radical are reported to beryllium connected the brink of starvation.

Amid the transfers, Trump, whose medication played a starring relation successful putting unneurotic the deal, arrived astatine Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, wherever helium was welcomed by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Netanyahu.

Trump is acceptable to code the Israeli Knesset aboriginal connected Monday, aft which helium volition alert to Egypt to co-chair a summit connected the ceasefire agreement.

“The warfare is over,” Trump told reporters arsenic helium near for Israel connected Sunday, adding helium thought the ceasefire would hold.

Reporting from Khan Younis, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said a designated aesculapian constituent had been acceptable up astatine the Nasser Medical Complex to connection aesculapian checks to the returning Palestinian prisoners earlier they are reunited with their families.

Thousands of Palestinians had gathered extracurricular the infirmary waiting to invited the released detainees, she said.

Waiting successful Khan Younis was Yasser Abu Azzoum, whose 23-year-old lad Mohammed was acceptable to beryllium released nether the deal.

He told Al Jazeera the feeling was “indescribable”.

“I’m not capable to talk decently due to the fact that I americium overwhelmed with joy,” Abu Azzoum said.

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