13.10.2025 10:19
Hamas handed over 7 Israeli hostages to the Red Cross delegation in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel loaded all 1,966 Palestinian detainees onto buses. While it is expected that Hamas will deliver 20 Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross, it was stated that the second group would be released by 10:00 AM. Additionally, the names of the 20 Israeli hostages have also been revealed.
After more than two years of attacks in the Gaza Strip by Israel, a critical day has arrived. The process for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza has begun. Hamas announced the names of 20 hostages that will be released.
NAMES OF THE HOSTAGES TO BE RELEASED HAVE BEEN REVEALED
Hamas shared the names of 20 living Israeli hostages that will be handed over to the International Red Cross. The names of the hostages to be released are recorded as Elkana Bohbot, Matan Angrest, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Alon Ohel, Evyatar David, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Rom Braslavski, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Eitan Mor, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, and Omri Miran.
7 ISRAELI HOSTAGES HANDED OVER TO THE RED CROSS
The Israeli army announced that the Red Cross is on its way to the meeting point in northern Gaza where the hostages will be transferred. Israel's Channel 12 television reported that 7 hostages have been handed over to the Red Cross.
HOSTAGES WHO DIED WILL BE HANDED OVER AFTER 2 HOURS
Israeli media reported that the hostages will be released in the Netzarim Corridor. The bodies of hostages who died will be handed over 2 hours later.
The families of the hostages are waiting for their loved ones with Israeli flags in hand. The hostages, who will be released from the Netzarim Corridor starting from Gaza and ending in Re'im, will reunite with their families and return home.
PALESTINIAN PRISONERS ARE ON THEIR WAY
Reuters news agency reported that after Hamas's decision to release the hostages, all 1966 Palestinian detainees held by Israel were loaded onto buses. Marwan Barghouti, a symbolic figure of Palestinian resistance who has been in prison for 15 years, is not among the prisoners to be released.
The Israeli government spokesperson stated that they are also ready to receive the lifeless bodies of the 28 hostages who died after the live hostages are handed over. The spokesperson expressed that Palestinian detainees will be released after all hostages are taken.
ISRAEL WANTS TO DESTROY GAZA TUNNELS
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated in a post on X yesterday that after the return of the hostages, Israel's priority will be the destruction of Hamas tunnels. In Katz's post, he said, "After the phase of returning the hostages, the biggest challenge Israel will face will be the destruction of all terrorist tunnels of Hamas in Gaza through the Israel Defense Forces and an international mechanism to be established under the leadership and supervision of the U.S. I have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare to carry out this task."
WILL PROMISES BE KEPT WHEN HOSTAGES ARE RELEASED?
According to the agreement that came into effect on Friday, Hamas agreed to hand over its hostages without reaching an agreement on Israel's complete withdrawal. Two Palestinian officials from Hamas acknowledged that this is a risky gamble due to the U.S. president's strong commitment to the agreement and not allowing it to fail.
According to Reuters, one of the Hamas officials said, "Hamas leaders are aware that the gamble they are taking could backfire." It is feared that after the hostages are released, Israel may resume military operations, as was the case after the ceasefire in January 2025, which involved the U.S. President Trump's team closely. One Hamas official stated in an interview with Reuters that Trump's enthusiasm was "heavily" felt in the conference center.
A senior U.S. official stated that Trump personally called three times during the marathon session and that his son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff were shuttling between Israeli and Qatari negotiators.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE OTHER ITEMS OF THE PLAN?
There is no certainty that the subsequent phases outlined in President Trump's 20-item Gaza plan will take place. However, two Palestinian officials participating in the talks and another source stated that Trump's stance on both the Qatari attacks and the ceasefire that ended Israel's 12-day war with Iran in June gave Hamas negotiators confidence that the U.S. president would not allow Israel to resume fighting as soon as the hostages were released.
According to a source close to the matter in Washington, Trump's advisors saw an opportunity to use his anger towards Netanyahu over the Qatari attacks to pressure the Israeli leader to accept a framework to end the Gaza war. A senior White House official stated that Trump, who has established significant ties with Gulf countries in terms of diplomatic and economic policies, sees the Emir of Qatar as a friend and does not like the broadcast of attack images on television, describing the attack as a significant turning point that united the Arab world.
A Palestinian official in Gaza stated that in his remarks about the negotiations and mediation efforts, Trump's public promise to Qatar that there would be no more Israeli attacks has gained him credibility in the eyes of Hamas and other regional actors. Jonathan Reinhold from the Department of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University in Israel stated, "Providing security guarantees to Qatar that Israel would not attack them again has increased Hamas's confidence that the ceasefire will be permanent."