Hamas Frees All 20 Israeli Captives

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has handed over thirteen additional Israeli captives in Gaza to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as reported by Israeli media.

The ICRC received the 13 Israeli prisoners from Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, on Monday, and they are now en route to Israel.

With the transfer of these 13 prisoners, the release of all 20 living Israeli captives has been completed under the ceasefire agreement, following the earlier release of a group of seven on the same day.

Israel Celebrates as Hamas Frees Hostages — (251009) — TEL AVIV, Oct. 9, 2025 (Xinhua) — Relatives and friends of Israeli hostages celebrate the Gaza ceasefire deal in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 9, 2025. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday praised the new agreement reached with Hamas for the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release and decided to convene his cabinet later in the day to approve the deal. (Xinhua)

In return for the freed Israeli hostages, 1,968 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 who are serving life sentences, will be released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

US President Donald Trump has said that Hamas will adhere to a plan for disarmament as he arrived at Israel’s parliament to speak at the Knesset on Monday. The US president has previously suggested that the issue of Hamas relinquishing its weapons will be addressed in the second phase of the peace initiative.

Hamas has seemingly, at least publicly, dismissed the idea of disarmament.

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