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After two years of relentless war, a rare moment of relief arrived Monday as Hamas released seven Israeli hostages into Red Cross custody, the first freed under a fragile ceasefire deal that could signal the beginning of the end to the conflict in Gaza.
Crowds across Israel erupted in cheers as television stations confirmed the release. Families waved flags, cried, and hugged strangers after years of anxiety and weekly protests demanding their loved ones’ return. Hamas said 20 living hostages will be exchanged for more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The agreement, brokered with U.S. support, marks the first real step toward peace after two years of devastation that began with Hamas’s surprise attack on October 7, 2023. That assault killed about 1,200 people in Israel and took 250 hostages. Israel’s military response left more than 67,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and much of the territory in ruins.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, back in office, arrived in Israel shortly after the release, declaring, “The war is over.” He is expected to meet freed hostages and later attend a peace summit in Egypt alongside regional leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Under the U.S.-led plan, Gaza would be governed by Palestinian technocrats under international supervision, with Arab-led forces ensuring security as Israeli troops withdraw. Key questions remain unresolved, including who will rebuild Gaza and whether the ceasefire will hold.
In Europe, leaders cautiously welcomed the deal. The EU called it “a vital humanitarian step.” In Cyprus, officials said the island stands ready to expand its “Amalthea” maritime corridor, which ships aid from Larnaca to Gaza. “This offers a moment to breathe,” said Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, “but peace needs more than a pause in fighting.”
For now, amid the ruins and heartbreak, the sight of hostages finally returning home has offered something that’s been missing for far too long: hope.
Source: AP News
