by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – All 20 living Israeli hostages freed by Hamas on Monday have been transferred to hospitals in central Israel aboard Israeli Air Force helicopters, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed. The final helicopters departed from the Re’im base near Gaza carrying released captives including Matan Zangauker, Maxim Herkin, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Evyatar David, Eitan Horn, and brothers David and Ariel Cunio.
The freed hostages–some held in Gaza for more than two years–underwent initial medical assessments before being reunited with relatives at hospitals across Israel. “We will not rest and we will not be silent until we fulfill our sacred moral, Jewish, and human obligation — to bring back all our hostages,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote on X, offering comfort to families still waiting for word on missing loved ones.
Among those still unaccounted for is IDF soldier Tamir Nimrodi, whose father, Alon, said he had received no new information. “Tamir was listed as a living hostage from the first day,” he said in a social media post. “Despite the heavy cloud, nothing has been proven otherwise.” The family of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student abducted during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault, also awaits confirmation of his fate.
According to Israeli media, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum expressed outrage after learning that only four of the 28 bodies of deceased hostages would be returned on Monday, calling the move “a blatant breach” of the ceasefire deal. Hamas, meanwhile, claimed difficulty in locating some of the remains.
The day unfolded with solemn anticipation across Israel. In Tel Aviv, usually bustling streets fell silent as thousands gathered at Hostages Square and cafes broadcast live coverage of the releases. “After watching our hostages freed, people are finally coming out again before the Simchat Torah holiday,” said a shop assistant at the Carmel Market.
The return of the hostages marks a key milestone in the Trump-brokered ceasefire agreement, which also includes reciprocal releases of Palestinian prisoners. By midday, buses carrying 2,000 Palestinian detainees had departed Ofer and Ketziot prisons for Gaza and the West Bank under International Red Cross supervision.
IDF officials said the exchange’s success improves the chances of the fragile ceasefire holding, though major questions remain over Gaza’s future governance and the disarmament of Hamas. The IDF confirmed that its forces have withdrawn from approximately half of Gaza, including densely populated areas. At the same time, Hamas has redeployed thousands of fighters to reassert control ahead of the next round of negotiations involving the U.S., Israel, Egypt, and Qatar.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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