It’s over: 20 last living Israeli hostages return home from Gaza after 738 days in captivity

After 738 days in captivity, the last twenty living Israeli hostages returned home on Monday, after being released from the Gaza Strip by their captors from the terror organization Hamas.

The release coincided with a roughly six-hour-long visit to Israel by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose mediation had brought about the breakthrough in the negotiations.

In his speech to the Knesset, Trump said “it feels so good to say” that the hostages are now back home.

The hostages were released in two batches, the first including seven hostages from Gaza City around 8 a.m. local time, and a second with 13 hostages from the southern city of Khan Younis around 11:40 a.m.

Eitan Mor, Alon Ohel, Ziv Berman, Gali Berman, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Omri Miran and Matan Angrest were freed in the first release.

It’s official: There are no more living Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity. pic.twitter.com/qa1Lh4vhhv
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 13, 2025

In the second group, Matan Zangauker, Maxim Herkin, Segev Kalfon, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Nimrod Cohen, Avinatan Or, Evyatar David, Eitan Horn, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Elkana Bohbot, Bar Kupershtein and Rom Braslavski were released.

With their release, Hamas relinquished the last living hostages from captivity, 738 days after terrorists kidnapped them from southern Israel during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, invasion and massacre.

💛 Watch the moment Eitan Mor reunites with his parents: pic.twitter.com/mKajWRBumU
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 13, 2025

As per the ceasefire terms, Hamas did not conduct any public ceremonies upon the release on Monday; however, it is not yet known whether Hamas filmed the release to use the footage in propaganda materials later.

The hostages were handed over to representatives of the Red Cross, who then took them to forward positions of the Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip. From there, they were transported to the IDF base in Re’im, where they met their immediate family.

Their medical condition was reported to be decent, given the circumstances. They were all able to walk on their own feet and were visibly elated to embrace their families.

After initial medical exams, helicopters of the Israeli Air Force took them to hospitals for further exams and meetings with more friends and family.

Israel fulfilled its obligations, releasing almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of the Israeli hostages.

They included 250 convicted terrorists serving one or multiple life sentences, and 1,718 Gazans that the IDF had detained over the duration of the two-year war.

Palestinian media said that 88 of the prisoners will be released to Judea and Samaria or East Jerusalem, while the rest will be deported to the Gaza Strip or abroad.

However, contrary to the agreement, Hamas announced it would only release four bodies of hostages on Monday. Under the terms of the deal, the terror group would have had to release all hostages, living and dead, until Monday noon.

“In this moment of joy and relief for the people of Israel, as our sons return home from captivity, we have not for a single moment forgotten the grieving families whose loved ones have not yet come back,” declared President Isaac Herzog.

What we’ve been fighting for 738 days. Welcome home Matan 🎗️❤️ pic.twitter.com/QylnK9BIAS
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) October 13, 2025

“We will not rest and we will not be silent until we fulfill our sacred moral, Jewish, and human duty to bring every one of our hostages home. All of them. Until every doubt is lifted and every family finds peace and closure,” he said.

Earlier, Herzog had welcomed home the former hostage, Alon Ohel, in a video call.

“The piano at the President’s Residence is waiting for you,” he told the pianist. “Alon, on behalf of all the people of Israel, on behalf of the entire State of Israel – we were so worried about you and we are so happy and overjoyed!”

Or appears noticeably thin after over two years in Hamas captivity. He is also seen wearing a quasi-military uniform that Hamas forced has other released hostages to wear during their release.

Or was kidnapped from the Nova music festival along with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani,… https://t.co/TlttIqBnBR
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 13, 2025

For the former hostages Segev Kalfon, brothers David and Ariel Cunio, as well as Avinatan Or, footage released by the IDF was the first time they were seen in public since being kidnapped two years ago.

Unlike most of the other hostages, their captors had not published any footage of them since their kidnapping.

The Kuperstein family thanked God, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as the “beautiful” people of Israel for the return of their son Bar.

New footage shows the moment hostages Segev Kalfon, and brothers David and Ariel Cunio were handed over to IDF troops in the Gaza Strip earlier today, after being freed from Hamas captivity after over two years.

Additional pictures show Alon Ohel meeting with his family at the… pic.twitter.com/hiDpOXmNqY
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 13, 2025

“Two years of an impossible journey – two years in which we did everything we could to make sure everyone knew who Bar is – and now, everyone will finally get to truly know him… We knew that Bar too was full of faith, courage, and strength. Thank God, he survived the horrors. Now it’s time for him – and for us – to heal.”

IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin said in a statement that this moment belonged “to the people of Israel and to all those who believe in humanity,” as well as to “the soldiers who fought with courage, to the families who waited in faith, and to the fallen whose sacrifice made this day possible.”

“The IDF has kept its sacred promise: to bring our people home. And we will not rest until the mission is complete. We are prepared for the return of all the fallen hostages, and expect Hamas to abide by the terms of the agreement,” said Defrin.

“On this night of Simchat Torah, when light returns after great darkness, we say together: Welcome home. Today, the State of Israel stands taller. From the depths of our pain, we have shown the world that Israel does not forget its people. No man or woman is left behind. May their return bring strength to us all.”