It has been just over two years since the horrific attack, massacre, and kidnappings of October 7, 2023. Today, part of that nightmare comes to an end.

We have watched the people of Israel hold vigil for the hostages who were held in captivity. We rejoiced with them when some were rescued, when others were released, and mourned and grew enraged when innocents were returned in coffins. We have watched Joe Biden waffle and wither when it came to his support for Israel, and we saw Donald Trump come back into office and vow to end the war and get the hostages released. We have seen Hamas turn down peace deals, become decimated along with their fellow terror groups, and watched other Western countries reward Hamas’s atrocities and intransigence with political recognition. But now, thanks to the work of the Trump administration, Hamas was forced to come to the table and agree to a peace deal. Or at least, a phase one withdrawl by the IDF, combined with the handing over of living and dead hostages, and the release of prisoners and criminals in exchange.

This is not a perfect deal, a great deal, or even a good deal. This is a deal with the devil to deliver the hostages back home to their families and loved ones in Israel, while handing over murderers and terrorists with no guarantees that they will not murder and terrorize again. Israel is going to have to grapple with that, and also decide how they will prevent or counter future hostage taking. Because Hamas WILL try this again. They have been momentarily defeated, but not excised like the cancer they are – and they were amply rewarded on the world stage with recognition and sympathy. And once the ceasefire and withdrawl began, the West no longer seemed to care about the lies they had been fed and obediently regurgitated.

I've watched dozens of videos of Gazans celebrating and have yet to see a single malnourished person.

If someone can find such a video from the last week, please show me in the comments. pic.twitter.com/fskQr8Neho

— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) October 12, 2025

Right now, though, Israel is focused on only two things. First, getting the living hostages back (and as many deceased ones as can be found). Second, thanking President Trump, who planned on addressing the Knesset today. He departed for Israel yesterday, and flew all night.

Before boarding Air Force One, Trump told reporters that the hostages could be released earlier and said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did a “very good job” helping secure the deal.

“The war is over,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews before boarding a nearly 12-hour flight to Israel. After landing in Tel Aviv, Trump is expected to meet with families of hostages and then give an address at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem.

Trump will then travel to Egypt to attend an international summit in the seaside city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalize an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza. More than 20 world leaders, including Trump, are expected to attend, an Egyptian presidential spokesperson said, according to Reuters.

As families and the entire nation of Israel waited, word came around 8:00 am Israel time that the first group of seven hostages had been handed over to the Uber drivers the Red Cross (but were not allowed to leave until Hamas got just a few more pictures and video). The first seven released were reported to be Eitan Mor, twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Matan Angrest, Omri Miran, and Alon Ohel. Further reports said that all seven were walking on their own. The first group was handed over to the IDF, and transported back to Israel, to the rejoicing of their families.

As the first group came into Israel and began to contact their families, other families began to receive calls from some hostages who were allowed to make video calls to their families. And as that news was breaking, Air Force One was landing in Tel Aviv. A large greeting party was waiting for President Trump.
https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977630379130683802
The second group was slated to be released originally at 9:00 am Israel time, but that was pushed back by over an hour, while the hostages continued to make phone calls to their families before they were handed over to the Red Cross. Since they were not allowed to do a propaganda parade with the hostages, Hamas likely decided that controlling the hostages calling their families – while standing right next to them – was the last bit of torture that they could inflict on the hostages.

Next to a Hamas terrorist, Bar Kupershtein speaks to his family pic.twitter.com/nwpo6aKDLi

— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) October 13, 2025

At about 10:30 am Israel time, the remaining thirteen hostages were handed over to the Red Cross, and all of them reportedly were able to stand and walk. As this group was released, the first group was beginning to see their families face-to-face for the first time in two years. The living hostages, as President Trump prepared to give his speech at the Knesset, were all finally out of Gaza.

As of 10:52am, October 13, 2025, there are no more living Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.

— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) October 13, 2025

The final hostages to be released, of course, are the dead. That will take place later today, and the Red Cross and IDF will have to carefully inspect each coffin, just in case Hamas tries to booby-trap any of them with explosives. The difficult task of medically evaluating and socially reacclimating the living hostages will now begin, and there is and will be ongoing PTSD for everyone affected by October 7th – sometimes with horrific consequences.

After two long years, the living hostages are home, and hopefully the dead will soon be laid to rest properly. While the war may be “over,” so long as Hamas is present and in control of Gaza, the threat of the next war remains. Active operations might be done for now, but that is no guarantee of peace in the future. There is a very long way to go before Israel could consider Hamas neutralized. However, today is a day of freedom. Those who could still be saved have been set free, and Israel is rejoicing.

Featured image: original Victory Girls art by Darleen Click