Jubilation it was on Monday, when 20 live hostages – the last of the living hostages – were released by Hamas, between 8 and 11 AM, in accordance with Trump’s plan.
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The hostages were surrendered to the Red Cross in two different locations in Gaza – seven in Gaza City in the north and 13 in Khan Younis in the south. Inside of Gaza, the Red Cross then turned them over to the IDF, which brought them to the Re’im border facility right outside of Gaza for very emotional reunions with families.
At that point they received initial medical checks in case any required immediate emergency treatment. I have not learned of any who did (thank Heaven).
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While there was an effort to protect the privacy of the hostages, the IDF did release pictures and video of the enormously emotional reunions. A few deeply moving examples:
Here we see Bar Kupershtein embracing his mother; his father is wheelchair-bound.
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-bar-kuperstein-reunites-with-his-family/
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Avinatan Or is shown here with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, who had also been a hostage. They were taken into custody at the same time during the Nova Music Festival but were separated. Noa was rescued in an IDF operation in 2024, but left without information about Avinatan, who was kept in isolation. His attempt to escape failed and he was thrown into a dungeon and shackled. Noa says only now can her rehabilitation begin, along with that of the love of her life.
His emotional reunion with his parents and Noa.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPyYUrpDSLr/
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Reunion of Eitan Mor with his parents. His father, Zvika Mor, founded and headed the Tikvah Forum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfMJFVfwi8g
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Following these initial reunions, the hostages were brought by choppers to hospitals where they will receive extensive rehabilitation both physical and psychological. All are frail.
There is reason to believe that at least for some the strength they exhibited, as they walked towards their families with surprising vigor, may yet subside. There are speculations as to whether Hamas might have treated them with something, and theories about the effect of sunlight on them after their prolonged captivity in darkness or seeing family members after tortuous separation boosting the production of adrenalin or other hormones that can affect mood and energy levels. Many may yet slip back into a state of greater weakness and lowered morale for a period of time before stabilizing.
It will not be an easy path. They have begun to share their harrowing tales of torture, starvation, darkness and isolation.
They were “forced to ask permission for everything. Sanitary conditions were extremely poor, and they were rarely allowed to shower…”
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/14/freed-hostages-reveal-two-years-of-horror/
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What was remarkable about this hostage release was the timing. We were on the cusp of Simchat Torah, which was to begin that night. This is a holiday marked with joy, in which we celebrate the receiving of the Torah.
But it was on Simchat Torah in 2023, which was October 7 that year, that the massacre and the taking of hostages occurred.
For many, myself included, Simchat Torah – more than the date October 7 – then became indelibly associated with national pain. Last year, the holiday, during which we are called upon to celebrate, was marked with a measure of sadness. We expected nothing different this year. There were numerous discussions that struggled with the ways in which to properly rejoice and remember the sorrow at one and the same time.
But now with the release of the hostages, and the joy associated with it, Simchat Torah has been redeemed for us. Was this truly just a coincidence?
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Thus our interlude of jubilation. But only an interlude. It doesn’t mean we will stop rejoicing that 20 of our own, who had been suffering cruelly, have been saved. Certainly not.
But we must stop short of internalizing Trump’s declaration when arriving in Israel to address the Knesset that day, to wit, that the war was over.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/13/president-trump-lands-in-israel/
The war is NOT over.
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We had immediate evidence of this, evinced by Hamas behavior: The deal was for Hamas to release ALL hostages, living and dead, 48 in total, on that day. This was the first stage of Trump’s deal, in exchange for which there would be a ceasefire, the IDF would do a partial pullback, and an obscene 1,000 plus terrorists, including some 250 with blood on their hands, would be released.
After the 20 live hostages had been released, however, Hamas announced they only had four deceased hostages and did not know where the others were. It was certainly possible that it would be difficult to locate all 28 of the deceased, some of whom may well be buried in combat areas. But only four? No one believed it. In fact, there are some convinced that Hamas knows where they all are.
It is clear that Hamas was playing games, perhaps hoping for further concessions for the additional deceased hostages. Within hours, they announced that they had four more. However, examination by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine uncovered the fact that one of the deceased was a Gazan and not a hostage at all.
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One of the deceased in the first group surrendered was Captain Daniel Perez, a Company Commander in the Seventh Armored Brigade, and son of Rabbi Doron Perez, chair of the World Mizrachi Movement.
Perez was killed on October 7 and his body taken by Hamas. For a long time the family had no clarity as to whether he was still alive. When his bloodied clothes were found, and the IDF declared him dead in March 2024, the family decided to hold a funeral on Har Herzl and bury the clothes. Today was his second funeral, with his remains added to the casket. His bravery in battle is celebrated.
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Little by little, over the past two days, Hamas announced the return of additional bodies. But tonight there is a new development as Hamas put out an announcement: “We met our end of the agreement, we released all the living hostages, and what we have as far as deceased hostages. Regarding the rest, we will need great efforts and special tools to find them.”
There are reports that the Red Cross has now receive two additional coffins from Hamas, which says it has no more. The contents of those coffins have yet to be identified.
In response, Trump told CNN that the IDF forces can resume fighting in Gaza “as soon as I say the word ” if Hamas does not comply with the ceasefire agreement.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/416307
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Hamas, a vicious Jihadist entity, is bound by a religious ideology that demands the elimination of Israel. And they are determined not only to remain standing in Gaza, but to control Gaza. They are devious and smart and will pull every trick in the book.
Trump, when addressing the Knesset on Monday, said that envoy Steve Witkoff was successful as a negotiator because he is such a nice guy and everyone likes him. This is pure nonsense, and it has been my impression that Witkoff is enormously naïve with regard to the Jihadist mentality.
But Bibi most certainly is anything but naïve. He gets the Jihadist mentality quite well.
The question that remains then is why he agreed to this deal in the first place. And that question cannot be answered here. Just as Trump secured pressure on Hamas via Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, so was pressure put upon our prime minister. This much is obvious, even if the precise nature of the pressure remains obscure.
But what also must be considered are the perks that Trump may have offered. What is thought most likely is assurance of US assistance in dealing with Iran, which is preparing to attack Israel once again. In his talk in the Knesset, the president spoke about how beautiful the US bombers are. Perhaps Trump agreed to look the other way if Israel applied sovereignty to the Jewish areas of Judea & Samaria. Or perhaps he promised a large expansion of the Abraham Accords, with Saudi Arabia establishing diplomatic normalization with Israel. Perhaps…perhaps. We might call this informed speculation.
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And there is, here, I believe one more factor upon which we might speculate. Perhaps in his various visits and phone calls with Trump, Netanyahu enlightened him a bit with regard to the true nature of Hamas. Perhaps Trump will not tolerate the Hamas games. This still remains to be seen. It appears to be the case, but talk is so cheap. If Bibi was convinced that Trump would remain involved in a strong, positive role, he would likely have seen the deal as a very good one.
Two days ago, at a press conference, Trump said with regard to Hamas, “Well, they’re going to disarm because they said they were going to disarm, and if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them…
“I don’t have to explain that to you [how they would be disarmed], but if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. They know I’m not playing games. OK?”
https://nypost.com/2025/10/14/us-news/hamas-will-disarm-or-we-will-disarm-them-trump/
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On Tuesday, 200 US troops arrived in Israel to oversee the next phase of the Trump plan, accompanied by a U.S. Military C-17 transport plane packed with command-and-control equipment and supplies.
Yesterday the command called on Hamas to stop violence against civilians and disarm “without delay.”
Hmm… Vice President Vance insists there will no US boots on the ground in Gaza. How does Trump’s threat – “we will disarm them” – play then?
Our troops are prepared. Defense Minister Katz has told the IDF to compose a “comprehensive plan” to defeat Hamas in the event of renewal of the war. “If Hamas refuses to implement the agreement, Israel, in coordination with the US, will return to fighting and act to achieve the complete defeat of Hamas, change the reality in Gaza, and attain all the objectives of the war.”
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Please, pray for all of Am Yisrael, with special prayers for the rehabilitation of the returned hostages.
©Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
