Last Israeli hostages freed under Gaza ceasefire deal

New Delhi, Oct 13: The final 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for more than two years have been released and are now back in Israel, the Israeli officials confirmed on Monday afternoon.

According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the freed captives were divided into two groups: seven were handed over from northern Gaza earlier in the day, and thirteen more were released from the south in the late afternoon. Their return marks the end of one of the most protracted hostage crises since the October 7, 2023, conflict between Israel and Gaza.

The Israeli Prison Service transferred 1,968 Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement. The releases were carried out in two groups: one group was moved from Ofer Prison to locations in the West Bank, while the second group was transferred from Ketziot Prison to Kerem Shalom, a border crossing into Gaza in southern Israel. The first of 38 buses carrying released prisoners crossed into Gaza earlier today, while others arrived in Ramallah, the administrative capital of the West Bank.

As the buses of Palestinian released prisoners and detainees reached Khan Younis area of Gaza, thousands of Palestinians welcomed them amid pro-Palestinian slogans and in some cases, perhaps soldiers fired in the air to celebrate their release. Palestinian media reported a tight security presence in Ramallah, where authorities are attempting to prevent large public celebrations. Families, since early morning, waited to receive their relatives and loved ones who earlier gathered inside the reception halls, but as the buses reached, there were emotional reunion scenes on the streets in the city centre, even though residents were instructed not to display flags or set up public welcome areas.

The remains of 28 other hostages who died in captivity are yet to be handed over to Israel. Latest reports revealed that two dead bodies of the hostages have been handed over to the Red Cross. It is believed that only four dead bodies will be handed over today, and regarding the rest of the dead bodies, confusion continues. The IDF said the process of repatriating the deceased will follow once coordination with international mediators is complete.

Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities, crowds gathered at designated reception points to welcome home the freed hostages. Many were taken directly to hospitals for medical checks after their initial processing at a military base in southern Israel.