All surviving Gaza hostages reportedly freed as Trump visits Israel

All surviving Israeli hostages held in Gaza have reportedly been freed following the release of a second group by Hamas. Israeli media including Channel 12 say thirteen additional captives were transferred to the Red Cross late on Monday, after an earlier group of seven had already been handed over to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Official confirmation from the IDF or the Red Cross is still pending.

The first seven hostages have already been reunited with their families at a military base in Re’im, southern Israel. The newly released group is expected to follow the same process.

Reports indicate that all hostages who were still alive in Gaza have now been freed. The bodies of 28 deceased hostages are expected to be returned to Israel in the coming days.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called the hostages’ return “a moment of pure joy for their families” and “a moment of relief for the entire world”. She said it marks the turning of a page and “the beginning of a new chapter”. 

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also hailed the developments as a “crucial milestone on the path to peace”, crediting US president Donald Trump for his role in securing the breakthrough. She warned, however, that lasting peace in Gaza remains “extraordinarily complex” and will require strong international cooperation. 

President Trump arrived in Israel on Monday, where he was greeted by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport. He is set to meet families of Israeli hostages before addressing the Knesset, then travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for an international summit on Gaza’s future. 

^{Israelis gathered outside the Reim military base in southern Israel to welcome the hostages about to arrive following their release by Hamas © MAYA LEVIN / AFP}