Hamas has finally agreed to release all the hostages it took on or after the deadly October 7 attack 2 years ago.
A total of 251 people were taken to Gaza, most of them Israeli civilians. While many have been brought back over time, 47 remain with the armed Palestinian group. These include 25 Israel says are dead.
So, who are the hostages-- dead or alive-- who are finally coming home?
Nepal citizen Bipin Joshi was taken during the October 7 attack. He was last seen in a 2023 video and Israel says he may not be alive. But his family remains hopeful. Besides Joshi, 4 other non-Israelis are Hamas captives. Thailand citizens Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak and Tanzanian student Joshua Mollel are dead. One Thai national is alive.
26 at the time, twin brothers Ziv and Gali Berman were taken by Hamas. Hostages who have been released have confirmed the two are alive but kept separately. Brothers Ariel and David Cunio were kidnapped along with their wives and children. The brothers remain in captivity while the rest were released over time.
In Israel, thousands of people gathered in a Tel Aviv square to celebrate, some holding photos of hostages still in Gaza and waving Israeli and US flags.
"We have been waiting for this day for 734 days. We cannot imagine being anywhere else this morning," said Laurence Ytzhak, 54.
Hamas has submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners it wants released from Israeli jails in the first phase.
The list names 250 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment and 1,700 others arrested by Israel since the war began, according to a Hamas source.
Trump's role in hostage deal
"The hostages will be coming back Monday or Tuesday. I'll probably be there, I hope to be there," US President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, referring to hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
But Trump said that the bodies of some of the dead hostages would be "hard to find."
Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Trump said the agreement between Israel and the Palestinian armed group had "ended the war in Gaza."
The US leader added that "nobody's going to be forced to leave" the Palestinian territory under his 20-point peace plan, which formed the basis for indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel in Egypt.
He said he hoped to travel to Israel, where he may address parliament, and maybe to Egypt.
