[“Free” spelled out using four blocks; Photo credit: Pexels]

On October 13, 2025, Israeli hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank were released under a ceasefire agreement.

The exchange followed nearly two years of conflict, which began when 251 people were kidnapped on October 7, 2023, during a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

After prolonged negotiations involving several mediators, the final 20 surviving hostages were released.

As part of the agreement, Israel released 1,718 Palestinians who had been held without charge and 250 additional prisoners. 

The releases took place across multiple locations, where Israeli hostages were reunited with family members and Palestinian captives were greeted by exultant crowds. 

For instance, Avinatan Or, one of the hostages who was seized at the Nova music festival during the October 7 attack, stated how he had hoped to get the chance to send his love to his family and see them one more time in the past two years.

Unfortunately, not everyone returned safely as four hostages were returned deceased.

An agreement between the US, Hamas, and its allies stated for all remaining hostages regardless of their vital status to be released within 72 hours.

However, Hamas reported that the remains of some deceased hostages could not be located. 

Shosh Bedrosian, a representative for Israel’s Prime Minister, said that an international committee will do their best to assist in recovering and identifying the missing bodies. 

Earlier on the same day, the White House released the “Trump Peace Agreement,” signed in Egypt by U.S. President Donald Trump, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AI-Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The agreement focused on ending the war and establishing peace in the region, an act President Trump mentioned to have taken “3,000 years to get to this point.”

President Trump was also commended with the Order of the Nile award by President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, which is the most prominent civilian honor one could possibly receive in Egypt according to NBC News. 

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton praised the accord, stating,  “President Trump and his administration, Qatar, and other regional actors deserve great credit for keeping everyone engaged until the agreement was reached.”

CNN noted that Clinton had also attempted peace negotiations in the region during his presidency.

Another former President, Barack Obama welcomed the development, saying that everyone should be encouraged and relieved by the end of the conflict.

When asked about his stance on Palestinian statehood, President Trump declined to comment directly, telling reporters that the priority was rebuilding Gaza, not defining “a single state or double state or two-state” solution.

Even though the future political structure of the region remains unclear, the ceasefire and prisoner exchange are being viewed as an important move toward reducing tensions and restoring regional stability.