After two long, harrowing years in captivity, the first seven Israeli hostages have finally been handed back to Israeli forces, marking the beginning of a peace agreement that’s already sending shockwaves through the region.
The deal, brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump, has seen the first phase of exchanges between Israel and Hamas begin in earnest. Trump himself landed in Tel Aviv earlier today, in what’s being seen as both a bold diplomatic move and a defining moment in his post-presidency comeback.
The hostages were taken during the infamous October 7th, 2023 attacks, the day Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and abducting 251 others. For many Israelis, that day remains etched into collective memory as one of the darkest in the nation’s history.
Since then, Israel’s military response has been relentless. The ensuing campaign in Gaza has left a trail of devastation, with the territory’s health ministry claiming more than 68,000 people have been killed and entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble.
The conflict has also ignited a political firestorm across the world, sparking mass protests in Western capitals, with several governments now moving to recognise a Palestinian state for the first time.
As part of the Trump-brokered deal, Israel is set to release a staggering 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, including around 250 serving life sentences for deadly terror attacks. Among those expected to walk free are high-profile figures such as Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat, both long-time symbols of Palestinian resistance.
Of the 48 hostages still believed to be in Gaza, Israeli intelligence now fears that only 20 may still be alive.
Today’s exchanges mark what could be a turning point, or the start of an even more complicated chapter, in one of the world’s most entrenched and emotional conflicts.
