After more than two years of torment, a wave of relief and raw emotion swept across Israel and Gaza this week as a high-stakes hostage-prisoner exchange was completed—yet the path ahead remains fraught with uncertainty. On Monday, October 13, 2025, the final 20 living Israeli hostages, some held for an agonizing 737 days, were released by Hamas in exchange for over 1,700 Palestinian detainees and 250 prisoners. The deal, hailed as a "historic dawn" by U.S. President Donald Trump, brought a fragile ceasefire to the war-battered region, but the celebrations were tempered by lingering questions and heartbreak over the fate of the dead still held in Gaza.
As reported by the Associated Press and BBC, the exchange was accompanied by scenes of jubilation and disbelief. The Sun splashed the headline "Freed from hell" across its front page, featuring 24-year-old Evyatar David, who had last been seen in a Hamas video in August digging what was described as "his own grave." The Daily Mirror and Daily Mail chronicled the emotional reunion of Avinatan Or with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani—herself rescued from captivity in June 2024. Meanwhile, the Times declared that "two years of torment are over," and the Guardian captured the joy on both sides of the divide: Israelis celebrating in Tel Aviv, Palestinians hanging out of bus windows, cheering with the crowds below.
But the sense of closure was incomplete. According to CNN, only four of the 28 deceased Israeli hostages had been returned to Israel as of Tuesday. The remains of Yossi Sharabi, Daniel Peretz, Guy Illouz, and Bipin Joshi were transferred by the Red Cross and received by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet security agency in Gaza, before being taken to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine for identification. The families of the deceased, like that of Yossi Sharabi, finally had a grave to mourn at after two years of uncertainty. "Now, we’ll finally have a grave to cry on," Yossi’s brother Eli Sharabi told CNN, describing the moment as "very, very important to our family."
President Trump, ever the showman, declared on Truth Social, "All twenty hostages are back and feeling as good as can be expected. A big burden has been lifted, but the job is not done. The dead have not been returned, as promised! Phase two begins right now!!!" He reiterated his position in a press conference at the White House, warning, "They said they were going to disarm, and if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. They know I’m not playing games." Pressed for details, he added, "I don’t have to explain that to you, but if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. That could happen quickly and perhaps violently."
Despite the release of living hostages, Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire by delaying the return of the bodies of the remaining 24 deceased hostages. This prompted Israeli authorities to announce a reduction in aid to Gaza—halving the number of humanitarian trucks allowed in, according to a United Nations spokesperson cited by Reuters. The move drew criticism from humanitarian groups, who had hoped to scale up desperately needed aid shipments to the besieged enclave.
The ceasefire itself, though holding as of Tuesday, October 14, 2025, was anything but secure. The IDF warned Palestinians not to approach military deployment sites in Gaza after opening fire on individuals who crossed the so-called "yellow line"—the initial Israeli withdrawal line mapped out in the ceasefire agreement. Gaza’s health ministry reported that three people killed by Israeli forces in the north were taken to Al Ahli hospital. The Israeli military said troops "opened fire to remove the threat" of people approaching them without complying with orders.
For families reunited after years of trauma, the joy was palpable but mixed with exhaustion and apprehension. Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod was freed by Hamas, told reporters at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, "After two years, I can finally breathe. A wonderful thing happened last night. The whole family, including Nimrod, just slept." Yet she cautioned, "Don’t let the smile fool you – the road ahead is still long." Liran Berman, brother of twins Ziv and Gali Berman who were released after more than two years in captivity, echoed the sentiment: "They are safe, alive and back. Our lives were trapped between hope and fear. Yesterday, that chapter ended. Now, we must bring everyone back. That is the only way this story can totally end."
The emotional toll of the ordeal was evident in the words of Lishay-Miran Lavi, wife of freed hostage Omri Miran: "For more than two years, I promised our daughters they would see their father again and get a hug that will heal everything. That promise was finally completed on Monday." She credited the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and the persistent efforts of volunteers and demonstrators for making the agreement possible.
Yet, for some families, closure remained elusive. Ruby Chen, father of 19-year-old Itay Chen—an American-Israeli soldier killed during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks—expressed his disappointment to CNN: "I expected to get a call that my son’s body was finally recovered and would be returned yesterday from Gaza, but was instead left with disappointment and frustration." He called for equal recognition of the pain suffered by families still waiting for their loved ones’ remains.
As the world watched, the next phase of the ceasefire deal seemed uncertain. Negotiators from Israel, Hamas, and international mediators remained in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, working through the night to hammer out the details of "phase two." The future governance of Gaza, the fate of the remaining hostages—both living and dead—and the prospect of Hamas disarmament all hung in the balance. The Financial Times and Daily Express noted that while Trump was enjoying his moment in the sun, peace in the Middle East would require more time and commitment than his presidency might allow.
Meanwhile, the daunting task of rebuilding Gaza loomed. Khalidi, an economist interviewed by CNN, estimated the cost at $70 billion, calling it a conservative figure. "From the point of view of the Palestinians, it’s major. The next year is all about relief, it’s about relieving trauma." Encouragingly, Jaco Cilliers of the United Nations Development Programme reported "very good indications" of willingness from the U.S., Europe, and Arab nations to contribute to the reconstruction effort.
As the dust settles on this latest chapter of the Israel-Gaza conflict, the region stands at a crossroads. The return of hostages—both living and deceased—has brought moments of joy, closure, and heartbreak. But as President Trump and leaders on all sides have made clear, the "job is not done." The coming weeks will test whether fragile hopes for peace can withstand the weight of unfinished business, mutual suspicion, and the scars of war.