Israeli hostages freed as Trump-brokered peace deal takes effect
An extraordinary moment unfolded in the Middle East Monday morning as Israeli hostages — held for two years in Gaza — were finally released and reunited with their families.
(NBC) – An extraordinary moment unfolded in the Middle East Monday morning as Israeli hostages — held for two years in Gaza — were finally released and reunited with their families.
Transferred by the Red Cross, the freed hostages emerged from years of captivity and deprivation to an emotional welcome in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, where crowds cheered and chanted “Thank you, Trump” as President Donald Trump arrived in Israel to mark the moment.
“The war is over. The war is over,” President Trump declared aboard Air Force One before landing in Tel Aviv to celebrate the peace agreement he helped broker.
Yet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned just hours earlier that the military campaign is “not over.” The release marks the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan — a carefully negotiated exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners. The deal includes a temporary pause in fighting, Israeli troop withdrawals to new lines inside Gaza, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in desperate need.
Still, key questions remain: whether Hamas will disarm, how governance in Gaza will be restructured, and how the devastated region will be rebuilt as displaced Palestinians return to what’s left of their homes.
“They’re going to have to start by removing a lot of the structures that you see that are down to the ground,” President Trump said. “It’s blasted — like a demolition site.”
For many Israelis, the day brought long-awaited relief. One mother was captured on camera speaking tearfully to her son, finally freed after two years as a hostage.
President Trump is now set to travel to Egypt for a peace ceremony joined by roughly 20 heads of state — including several key Arab leaders involved in the negotiations. The summit will focus on reconstruction efforts and Trump’s proposal for an international “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding.
