In the most significant and hopeful development since the ceasefire took hold, Hamas has released a list of the twenty remaining live hostages who are set to be released from captivity in Gaza on Monday. The release, a core component of the U.S.-brokered peace initiative, marks the critical first step in the agreement’s implementation and is being met with a profound sense of cautious relief in Israel and around the world.
The list of names was released by Hamas to mediators in Qatar and Egypt, who then conveyed it to Israeli officials. This is the first official confirmation of the identities of those who will be freed in the initial stage of the exchange.
The twenty Israeli men, who were all abducted during the attacks of 2023, are:
* Elkana Bohbot
* Matan Angrest
* Avinatan Or
* Yosef-Haim Ohana
* Alon Ohel
* Evyatar David
* Guy Gilboa-Dalal
* Rom Braslavski
* Gali Berman
* Ziv Berman
* Eitan Mor
* Segev Kalfon
* Nimrod Cohen
* Maxim Herkin
* Eitan Horn
* Matan Zangauker
* Bar Kupershtein
* David Cunio
* Ariel Cunio
* Omri Miran
The families of the named hostages have been notified by the Israeli government, ending a period of agonizing uncertainty. The release is expected to take place later on Monday, with the hostages being transferred from Gaza to Egypt through the Rafah crossing before being flown back to Israel for medical assessment and reunions with their loved ones.
This moment is the culmination of intense, last-minute diplomatic efforts that saw both Israel and Hamas step back from the brink of renewed conflict. On Saturday, Israel halted its offensive in Gaza City at Washington’s behest, while Hamas, after initial defiance, agreed to the hostage release and to cede civil administration of the Strip.
However, the process is still fraught with tension. The release comes amid a fragile security situation on the ground, with reports of Hamas reasserting armed control in northern Gaza and the emergence of rival, Israeli-backed gangs.
Furthermore, major obstacles to a lasting peace remain, most notably Hamas’s public and unequivocal rejection of the plan’s disarmament clause. While today is a day of profound human significance, focusing on the return of the hostages, the path to a durable and comprehensive peace remains long and uncertain. For now, the focus of the world is on the Rafah crossing, awaiting the first tangible outcome of this landmark deal.
