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Ceasefire Frees 20 Israeli Hostages as Israel Releases About 2,000 Prisoners

A U.S.-brokered deal enabled the swap, positioning Washington to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding.

Overview

  • Hamas transferred the 20 surviving captives to the Red Cross in Gaza, and the IDF received them for medical checks before reunions at Israeli hospitals.
  • Avinatan Or was freed after nearly two years and reunited with his girlfriend Noa Argamani, whose Oct. 7 abduction became emblematic before her rescue in 2024.
  • Several returnees appeared visibly emaciated after prolonged captivity, including Evyatar David, previously filmed in a tunnel saying he had not eaten for days.
  • Israel began releasing roughly 1,900–2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners under the deal, with families greeting buses in the West Bank and Gaza.
  • President Trump’s team brokered the ceasefire and convened an Egypt summit on Gaza reconstruction, as Israeli officials said the timeline to receive more hostages’ remains remains unresolved.