Hamas has agreed to release all of the remaining living hostages taken from Israel during the October 7 attacks as part of a peace deal – over two years after the attacks took place.
A total of 251 Israeli and foreign nationals were taken hostage when Hamas militants stormed across the border. The majority were returned alive during two temporary ceasefire agreements in autumn 2023 and between January and March 2025, but dozens of others have been killed while in captivity.
Forty-eight hostages remained with Hamas in Gaza. Israel believe that 20 of those are still alive.
Under the first phase of the peace plan, all remaining living hostages will be released on Sunday or Monday. President Trump has called for their release within 72 hours of the signing of the first phase of the agreement. The deceased will be returned at a later stage.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum have called for Donald Trump to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
The peace deal proposed by President Trump saw negotiators from Hamas and Israel discuss the details of the 20-point plan in Egypt through the week. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel would “finish the job” if the Palestinian militants did not agree to the deal.
In response to the ultimatum, Hamas agreed “to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal” – but it sought further negotiations on other issues regarding Gaza’s future.
Trump’s 20-point proposal envisions the release of all of the remaining Israeli hostages in return for the release of Palestinian detainees from Israeli jails, before a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
It would mark the end of two years in captivity for the hostages, during which a brutal Israeli military campaign has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Blockades of aid have also triggered a humanitarian crisis, with famine and extreme hunger widespread.
It is also nearly two years since the first hostages were released in November 2023, when the two sides agreed a temporary pause in fighting to allow for the release of dozens of hostages.
A total of 81 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals were released between 24-30 November, during an agreement which initially stipulated a four-day break in fighting, before three days were added on. More than 200 Palestinian detainees were released in response.
A long period without a cessation in fighting followed, lasting until Donald Trump took office and demanded a rapid ceasefire deal.
On 15 January 2025, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement in which Hamas would release hostages in exchange for more Palestinian detainees and militants in Israeli prisons.
The second ceasefire began days later, but was fraught with accusations of repeated breaches. After 21 hostages were released in the first weeks – including British citizen Emily Damari – Hamas announced an indefinite halt to hostage releases due to alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.
