The moment they have been praying for: Emotional images show Israeli hostages reunited with their parents, families and friends after 738 days held captive in Gaza

Israeli hostages reunited with their parents, families and friends after spending 738 days held captive in the Gaza Strip by Hamas.

All 20 living hostages have been released following the Donald Trump-brokered deal between Israel and Hamas, that aims to bring an end to the devastating two-year war in Gaza.

The captives were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross before they were taken to the Re’im military base in southern Israel, where medical teams assessed them.

Omri Miran, 48, was photographed reuniting with his wife Lishay at the initial reception point in southern Israel.

He was abducted from his home in Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023.

He was part of the first group of Israeli hostages to be released this morning, alongside Matan Angrest, 22; twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, 28; Alon Ohel, 24; Eitan Mor, 25; and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24.

They were followed by a second group of 13 living hostages, who have also finally arrived in Israel after more than two years in captivity.

The second group to return home included: Matan Zangauker, 25; Nimrod Cohen, 21; Ariel Cunio, 28; David Cunio, 35; Evyatar David, 24; Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 25; Elkana Bohbot, 36; Avinatan Or, 32; Bar Kupershtein, 23; Segev Kalfon, 27; Rom Braslabski, 21; Eitan Horn, 38; and Maxim Herkin, 37.

Alon, Guy and Omri were flown by Israeli Air Force helicopters to hospital after an initial medical evaluation, the military said.

The bodies of 28 deceased hostages will be handed over later, a Hamas official said, as a task force works to locate their missing remains. 

The U.S. president arrived in Israel this morning, where he will soon deliver a historic speech to the Knesset before heading to Egypt for an international peace summit geared towards ending the war in Gaza. 

Trump signed the Knesset guest book and wrote: ‘It is a great honour for me. This is a beautiful day. A new beginning.’ 

Speaking to reporters earlier on Air Force One as he made his way to Israel, the president said: ‘The war is over.’

‘People are tired of it, it’s been centuries, not just recent,’ he said. ‘The ceasefire will hold, we’re going to make sure it holds.’

Families and friends of the hostages broke out into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that their loved ones were being released. 

Tens of thousands of Israelis were also watching the transfers at public screenings across the country, with a major event being held in Tel Aviv. 

British-Israeli Emily Damari, freed from captivity last January, was seen watching her best friends Gali and Ziv being released in a private viewing session with close family and friends.

She was sat beside Romi Gonen who was held with her for much of their time in captivity.

Now the loved ones of the remaining 14 are waiting anxiously.

Dozens of friends of Evyatar David have been gathered together near Tel Aviv since 8am on Sunday and have not slept.

Yuval Ovadia, 24, student from Tel Aviv, told the Daily Mail: ‘I have been here since 8am. It’s such a stressful time, so having everyone together helps

‘It’s friends from all around – we met because of this situation.’

Guy Melamed, 24, student from Zippori, northern Israel, said: ‘Some of us have been here since we heard the news at 8am yesterday. We knew it was happening in the next 24 hours so we said we need to meet up.

‘We needed to be together to be here for each other. As much as you want to fall asleep, it’s the anticipation. It’s just too much – two years we have been waiting for this moment.

‘It’s very exciting.’

Evyatar was due for release last January but was instead cruelly forced to watch others released before being taken back into captivity.

Hamas then released horrifying footage of his starved body as he was forced to dig his own grave in a tunnel in Gaza.

After speaking to hostage families and addressing the Knesset, Trump will depart Israel for a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh with leaders from more than 20 countries.

There, politicians will try and finalise an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza.

A surge of humanitarian aid is expected to follow into famine-stricken Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people are left homeless.

While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners mark a key step toward ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.

The hostages’ return caps a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the October 2023 Hamas attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity.

Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.

As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire.

With the hostages´ release, the sense of urgency around the war for many Israelis will be effectively over.

Onboard Air Force One on his way to Israel, Trump said: ‘Getting them was amazing actually, because we were involved, and they were in places that you don’t want to know about.’

He addressed reporters just before boarding the plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and spoke of the enormity of the deal.

‘There are 500,000 people, yesterday and today, in Israel and also the Muslim and Arab countries are all cheering. Everybody’s cheering at one time – that’s never happened before,’ he said.

‘Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn’t – the other is the opposite. This is the first time everybody is amazed, and they’re thrilled.

‘It’s an honor to be involved, and we’re going to have an amazing time, and it’s going to be something that’s never, never happened before.’

He went on: ‘Everybody is happy. Whether it’s Jewish or Muslim or the Arab countries, every country is dancing in the streets. It’s a point in time I don’t think you’d ever see again. They’ve never seen it for 3,000 years.’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday night that Monday marked ‘the beginning of a new path’.

He told the relatives of the remaining hostages that their release was a ‘historic event that some people did not believe would happen’.

Netanyahu added: ‘Together we will continue to win, and with the help of God, together we will guarantee the eternity of the country and land of Israel.’

Buses transporting Palestinian prisoners have begun to arrive in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

In Khan Younis, hundreds of civilians have gathered to celebrate, with Palestinian flags and banners draped around a square and music blaring from loudspeakers.

As part of the peace deal, Israel will release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners: 250 among those serving life sentences and 1,700 others detained since the start of the war.

It will also return the remains of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli hostage.