After two years in Hamas captivity, the last living Israeli hostages have reunited with their families.
Hamas on Monday released all 20 living Israeli hostages as part of the ceasefire deal. In exchange for the hostages, Israel said it freed more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas said it will hand over the bodies of four of the 28 deceased captives, although a timeline for the others is unclear. The remains of two of the killed hostages appear to remain unaccounted for. Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that some of the deceased hostages may never be returned.
Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the transfers of the 20 men released Monday at public screenings across the country. Hamas killed more than 1,200 Israelis and abducted an additional 251 in its October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks on Israel. While some hostages were released or freed before the ceasefire, Hamas has killed dozens of others in the two years since it abducted them.
More than 60,000 people in Gaza, per the Gazan health ministry, have been killed in Israel’s war on the enclave in response to the attacks. Israel has rejected international claims that it has been carrying out a genocide against Palestinians, who have been brought to the brink of starvation by Israel blocking most food and aid from entering the enclave.
