Media: Hamas Transfers All 20 Living Israeli Hostages to the Red Cross | WPN World People News

Israeli media reported that on the 13th, the Palestinian militant group Hamas released the last 20 surviving hostages held in the Gaza Strip, handing them over in batches to representatives of the Red Cross. All of the released hostages are men. The first group of seven has safely returned to Israel, while the remaining 13 were transferred in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. This release is part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas brokered by the United States, signaling that the two-year-long Gaza war may be nearing its end. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and saw several Israelis taken hostage.

On the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Israel aboard Air Force One to a warm public welcome. Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally greeted Trump on the tarmac as a military band played. Before landing, Air Force One flew over Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, where tens of thousands had gathered waving flags and cheering. The square became a symbol of protest during the Gaza war, and Trump’s visit is widely viewed as a sign of emerging peace.

After his arrival, Trump proceeded to the Israeli Knesset, where he is expected to present his Middle East peace plan. Under the agreement, Israel will also release more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners as part of the hostage exchange. The seven hostages released earlier have reunited with their families and undergone medical examinations. The move brings hope for humanitarian relief and opens a new window for Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.