Hamas hands over 20 surviving Israeli hostages

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2 days ago13 Oct 10:27pm

That's a wrap

Thanks for being with us. Here's a recap of what unfolded today:

All 20 living hostages released by Hamas returned home on Monday after over two years in captivity, Israel confirmed.
Israel has said it does not expect all of the dead hostages to be returned on Monday. Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is also due to return the bodies of up to 28 hostages who died or were killed in captivity.
As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel is due to release nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees held in its jails. The first groups have started arriving in the occupied West Bank and Ramallah,
Donald Trump has addressed the Israeli parliament before heading to Egypt for a leaders' summit to discuss peace in Gaza.
In Tel Aviv, a huge crowd gathered to support hostage families erupted in joy, tears and song as news broke of the first hostage releases.
Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend the Gaza summit in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh because it coincides with a Jewish holiday, his office said.

3 days ago13 Oct 3:09pm

Gazans 'joyful' to return to their homes, but 'bitter about the destruction'

Since the ceasefire went into effect, thousands of displaced Gazans have been making their way north to Gaza City, which has faced intense Israeli bombardment over the past two months.

"We are joyful to return to Gaza, but at the same time we have bitter feelings about the destruction," Rami Mohammad-Ali, a Gaza resident, told the Reuters news agency by phone after walking 15km with his son from Deir al Balah to Gaza City.

"We couldn't believe the destruction we have seen."

Over the weekend, hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks began entering the occupied Palestinian territory from Egypt under the terms of the ceasefire deal. The Israeli military said it had withdrawn to a line, specified in the agreement, that leaves it in control of 53 per cent of Gaza.

Much of the strip has been razed to the ground by Israel, and residents returned to find rubble where their homes once stood. SBS News chief international correspondent Ben Lewis, reporting from Israel, said it was clear even from a distance "how much of the Gaza Strip has been flattened".

"It's unrecognisable from what it was before," Lewis said.

— Josie Harvey

3 days ago13 Oct 2:39pm

What do we know about the living hostages?

The living hostages include multiple attendees and staff of the Nova music festival, the site at which nearly 370 people were killed by Hamas militants in the October 7 attack.

Among them are Elkana Bohbot, 36, who was one of the producers of the festival. Rom Braslavski, 21, was working as a security guard when the festival was attacked. Two other hostages, 24-year-old Evyatar David and his childhood friend Guy Gilboa Dalal, were partying at the festival when they were taken.

Other captives were residents of southern Israeli communities. Omri Miran, 48, a therapeutic masseur, was taken from his home in the Nahal Oz kibbutz in front of his wife and daughters.

Israeli-Argentinian brothers David and Ariel Cunio, 35 and 28, were abducted while hiding in the safe room of David's home in the Nir Oz kibbutz.

Here's what we know about the 20 hostages believed to be alive:

Who are the hostages Israel believes are still alive and when will they be released?

— Josie Harvey

3 days ago13 Oct 2:38pm

US President Donald Trump en route to the region

United States President Donald Trump will likely receive a hero's welcome in Israel when he arrives. Monday's developments were precipitated by the White House's release of a 20-point peace plan for the region late last month, which also called for a ceasefire, disarmament of Hamas and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

A ceasefire has been in place since noon on Friday local time. Trump had announced two days earlier that both Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of the plan.

After addressing Israel's parliament, the Knesset, on Monday, Trump will travel to Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh for a summit on ending the war. Other world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, are expected to be there.

Thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square over the weekend, and attendees cheered when Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, mentioned his name. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose handling of the conflict has divided public opinion at home, did not receive such a positive response from the crowd.

SBS News chief international correspondent Ben Lewis reported from Israel:

— Josie Harvey

3 days ago13 Oct 2:37pm

Hostage release expected in a matter of hours

Israeli officials said they expect the hostage release to begin early Monday morning local time, from around 2pm AEDT.

According to Reuters, Israeli media is reporting that the hostage release will begin around 8am local time — 4pm AEDT.

The release of the 20 living hostages is to be followed later by a handover of the remains of 28 deceased hostages, which may take longer to deliver.

The deadline for the hostage release, under the ceasefire agreement, is 8pm AEDT.

They’ve been held in Gaza since they were captured on 7 October 2023, during Hamas’ deadly attack on southern Israel.

— Josie Harvey

3 days ago13 Oct 2:37pm

Welcome to the live blog

Thanks for joining our live coverage. After two years of devastating war, Hamas and Israel are poised to initiate the first phase of a plan for peace in Gaza with an exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.

Twenty living hostages taken from Israel during Hamas' October 7 attack in 2023 are to be released by Hamas under the deal. The remains of 28 deceased hostages are also to be handed over. Israel is to release about 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

United States President Donald Trump is on his way to Jerusalem to address the Israeli parliament, and he's expected to meet with the families of the hostages. He told reporters in Washington that "the war is over" as he boarded Air Force One for the Middle East.

Trump says Gaza 'war is over' as Israel awaits release of hostages amid ceasefire

— Josie Harvey

Trump addresses Israeli parliament after Hamas hands over 20 surviving hostages — as it happened

The last 20 surviving Israeli hostages returned home on Monday after more than two years in captivity in Gaza.

That's a wrap

Gazans 'joyful' to return to their homes, but 'bitter about the destruction'

What do we know about the living hostages?

READ MORE

US President Donald Trump en route to the region

Hostage release expected in a matter of hours

Welcome to the live blog

READ MORE

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Trump addresses Israeli parliament after Hamas hands over 20 surviving hostages — as it happened

The last 20 surviving Israeli hostages returned home on Monday after more than two years in captivity in Gaza.

That's a wrap

Gazans 'joyful' to return to their homes, but 'bitter about the destruction'

What do we know about the living hostages?

READ MORE

US President Donald Trump en route to the region

Hostage release expected in a matter of hours

Welcome to the live blog

READ MORE

previous

2of2

next

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