Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt – October 13, 2025 – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday expressed profound relief at the release of the final 20 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza, marking a pivotal moment in the two-year-old conflict that has ravaged the region. Speaking from the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where international mediators gathered for a summit on Gaza's reconstruction, Guterres called the development a "desperately needed breakthrough" while issuing a stern plea for all parties to honor their commitments under a fragile ceasefire agreement.
"I very much welcome the release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza," Guterres said in a statement issued during the ongoing talks. He described the freed captives as having "regained their freedom and will soon be reunited with their loved ones after the immense suffering they have endured." The UN chief, whose organization has been at the forefront of documenting the war's humanitarian toll, reiterated his demand for the prompt return of the remains of those who perished in captivity, estimating that 28 bodies remain unaccounted for in Gaza.
Guterres' remarks were delivered as emotional reunions unfolded across Israel. The hostages, ranging in age from 23 to 85, were transferred from Hamas custody to International Committee of the Red Cross vehicles in southern Gaza's Khan Younis before being escorted to Israeli territory. Among them were Omri Miran, 42, a father of two abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023; Matan Angrest, 28, kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza; and Gali Berman, 26, taken alongside her partner Ziv from their home. Families gathered at military bases like Re'im and hospitals in Tel Aviv, waving yellow ribbons and Israeli flags in scenes broadcast live nationwide. "This is the moment we've prayed for," said Einav Zanguaker, mother of released hostage Matan, as she embraced her son at Ichilov Hospital.
The releases form the cornerstone of Phase One of a 20-point peace plan unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump last month, which took effect at noon local time on Friday after intense negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh. Brokered by the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, the agreement mandates the handover of all living hostages—20 in total, down from an initial 251 abducted during the Hamas-led attacks—in exchange for Israel's release of approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. This includes 250 individuals serving life sentences for terrorism-related offenses and over 1,700 others arrested in Gaza since October 2023, many without formal charges.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the deal as a "great day for Israel," crediting Trump's "unwavering dedication" during a joint appearance in Jerusalem. Netanyahu's cabinet approved the prisoner list early Monday, with releases beginning immediately at checkpoints like Kerem Shalom. Crowds in Ramallah and Gaza City cheered as buses carrying freed Palestinians—many elderly or teenage boys—crossed into the West Bank, though some expressed frustration over deportations to Gaza for others. In a nod to the deal's architect, Netanyahu introduced Trump to hostage families in the Knesset, where the U.S. president addressed lawmakers, proclaiming, "The war is over. Blessed are the peacemakers."
Yet, as celebrations echoed from Tel Aviv's Hostage Square to Gaza's displacement camps, Guterres tempered optimism with stark warnings. "Build on this momentum and honor your commitments under the ceasefire to end the nightmare in Gaza," he urged, emphasizing the UN's role in scaling up aid deliveries. Over 630 trucks carrying food, water, and medical supplies entered Gaza on Sunday alone—the highest in months—facilitating the reopening of the Rafah crossing in both directions. The UN chief also disclosed a recent phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, where he discussed the releases and pressed for swift progress on Phase Two, which envisions a full Israeli withdrawal to a "Yellow Line" inside Gaza and Hamas disarmament under international oversight.
The ceasefire's activation came amid a backdrop of unimaginable destruction, two years after Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,139 people—mostly civilians—and taking 251 hostages. Israel's retaliatory offensive, aimed at dismantling Hamas, has since claimed over 67,800 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, with women and children comprising nearly half. Independent analyses suggest the true toll could exceed 70,000 when accounting for those buried under rubble or lost to famine and disease. Israeli estimates place militant deaths at around 20,000, but leaked military intelligence indicates over 80% of fatalities were civilians.
Gaza, once home to 2.3 million people, lies in ruins. Satellite imagery from the UN and aid groups reveals that 80% of buildings—over 300,000 structures—are damaged or destroyed, including 735 healthcare facilities targeted in strikes that killed 917 medical workers and injured 1,411 more. The World Health Organization reports Gaza now has the highest rate of child amputations per capita globally, with over 2,500 minors losing limbs to shrapnel or blasts. Agricultural lands, once Gaza's "breadbasket," have been bulldozed or contaminated, exacerbating a famine declared in Gaza City by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification in August. At least 2,600 Palestinians have died seeking aid at distribution sites, often under Israeli fire.
Displacement has uprooted 90% of Gazans—some 1.9 million people—multiple times, with families like that of Umm Ahmed Nasir fleeing 19 times since the war's onset. "We celebrate the prisoners' return, but what home awaits them?" Nasir asked from a tent in Deir al-Balah, where sewage floods streets and polio cases surge due to collapsed sanitation systems. Education has ground to a halt for 700,000 children, with all 564 schools damaged and 217 journalists killed—more than in any other recent conflict.
Trump's plan, detailed in a September White House briefing, outlines a phased path to "everlasting peace." Phase One prioritizes hostage-prisoner swaps and partial withdrawals, leaving Israeli forces controlling 53% of Gaza temporarily. Subsequent stages call for a multinational monitoring force—led by U.S. troops alongside Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish, and Emirati contingents—to oversee disarmament and reconstruction, estimated at $50 billion over five years. A "Board of Peace" involving former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would govern post-Hamas Gaza, transitioning to Palestinian technocrats backed by Arab states. Trump, fresh from Israel, landed in Sharm el-Sheikh Monday for a summit with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Qatar's emir, focusing on aid corridors and rubble removal.
Hamas, through spokesman Khalil al-Hayya, affirmed the deal as a step toward "ending the occupation," but demanded guarantees against renewed assaults. Israeli far-right ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, threatened coalition collapse if Hamas retains influence, underscoring domestic fractures. On social media, reactions ranged from Guterres' official post urging "dignified" releases—garnering over 1,100 likes—to Palestinian users celebrating prisoner returns amid grief for the 67,800 dead.
Guterres, wrapping up his address, invoked the war's "unbearable human cost," from the 1,200 Israelis slain on October 7 to the Palestinian families obliterated in airstrikes. "Nothing justifies the appalling terror attacks by Hamas, nor the dramatic levels of death and destruction inflicted on Palestinians," he said, noting over 217 media workers and 224 aid personnel killed. He called for a "credible political process" toward a two-state solution, warning that failure risks "further bloodshed."
As Trump prepares to address the summit, eyes turn to implementation. UN agencies, poised with prepositioned supplies, aim to vaccinate 500,000 against polio and restore water to 1 million within weeks. Yet, with Israeli strikes killing 59 in Gaza as recently as last week and Hamas rocket fire persisting sporadically, the truce hangs by a thread. For Gazans like Abu Ahmed Eid, who lost three siblings to bombardment, joy is bittersweet: "What should I celebrate with all this blood?" he told reporters from a Nuseirat camp.
In Tel Aviv, however, 85-year-old Yaffa Adar—released earlier this year—symbolized resilience, telling crowds, "We've endured hell, but peace is worth every tear." Her words, broadcast globally, underscore Guterres' closing plea: "After two years of trauma, we must choose hope. Now."
The summit's outcomes could redefine the Middle East, but as displaced Gazans trek north through rubble-choked roads—thousands returning home for the first time since March—the path remains fraught. With over 170,000 wounded and 500,000 facing famine, the UN vows relentless support, but true healing demands more than ink on paper: it requires unyielding commitment to end the cycle of violence.
