Hamas announced on Monday that it had handed over 13 additional hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza, marking the release of the last remaining living captives held by the group.
The handover follows the earlier release of a first group of seven Israeli hostages earlier in the day, as part of a large-scale prisoner exchange deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar, with the ICRC facilitating the transfer to Israeli authorities.
According to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of those released was a soldier captured from his tank position, while the remaining six were civilians abducted by Hamas militants from communities near Gaza and at the Nova Music Festival on 7 October 2023.
In a statement, Netanyahu’s office reaffirmed Israel’s determination to secure the return of all captives still missing, saying:
“The government is committed to bringing back all the hostages held by the enemy and will act to achieve this mission with determination and perseverance.”
As part of the ongoing ceasefire deal, Israel is expected to release about 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners later on Monday. The exchange is also set to include the return of the bodies of several deceased hostages recovered from Gaza.
