By Obinna Uballa
After two harrowing years of war, Hamas on Monday released 20 Israeli hostages into the custody of the Red Cross under a landmark ceasefire agreement that has raised hopes for lasting peace in the devastated Gaza Strip.
AFP reports that the Red Cross transferred the freed captives to Israel, marking a major breakthrough in negotiations that also saw Israel agree to release about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Under the deal, all living hostages were to be freed, alongside the return of the remains of those confirmed dead.
Two hostages previously believed to be alive – Tamir Nimrodi and Bipin Joshi, a Nepali agricultural student – were confirmed dead, dashing hopes for their families. Israel had earlier expressed “grave concern” about their fate, the report said.
The release comes nearly two years after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 others kidnapped, triggering one of the bloodiest conflicts in the region’s history.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, roughly half of them women and children, while 90% of Gaza’s 2 million residents have been displaced.
Before Monday’s release, Israel said 48 hostages remained in Gaza, including the body of one soldier from a previous conflict.
Faces of the Freed
Among those released were civilians and soldiers whose names had become symbols of Israel’s national grief:
Gali and Ziv Berman (28) – Fraternal twins from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, abducted from their homes during the Oct. 7 attack. Seventeen others were taken from the same community, but the Berman twins were the only ones still in captivity.
Omri Miran (48) – Kidnapped from Nahal Oz Kibbutz; his wife and two daughters were briefly held hostage during the assault.
Matan Angrest (22) – An Israeli soldier taken from his tank in southern Israel; his mother had been one of the loudest voices in public protests for the hostages’ release.
Eitan Mor (25) – A Nova music festival security guard who saved lives before being abducted.
Alon Ohel (24) – A talented pianist and dual citizen of Israel, Germany, and Serbia, seized at the Nova festival.
Guy Gilboa-Dalal (24) and Evyatar David (24) – Friends kidnapped from the same festival, both featured in Hamas videos pleading for their lives.
Rom Braslavski (21) – Security guard wounded at the Nova site before his capture.
Ariel (28) and David Cunio (35) – Brothers abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz; David’s wife and children were freed earlier.
Avinatan Or (32) – Captured alongside his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, whose abduction video became one of the most haunting images of the Oct. 7 attack.
Maksym Harkin (37) – A Ukrainian-Israeli who attended his first-ever festival at Nova before being abducted.
The Human Toll
Images from Monday showed the hostages, gaunt but smiling, waving from Red Cross minibuses as they were taken to Israeli hospitals for medical evaluation and reunions with family.
The exchange has stirred emotional scenes across Israel, where posters of the captives had become symbols of national unity and anguish.
The truce, which began last Friday, has halted airstrikes and artillery fire for the first time since late 2023. While both sides have agreed to the exchange, analysts warn the ceasefire could collapse if either party violates the deal or if disputes arise over the release of remaining detainees.
