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By: Fern Sidman

In an emotional convergence of human relief and geopolitical theater, Israel marked an extraordinary day on Monday — one defined by tears of reunion, solemn remembrance, and the glimmer of diplomatic transformation. After 737 days in captivity, 20 Israeli hostages were released by Hamas and handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) under the terms of a breakthrough ceasefire deal aimed at ending the two-year war in Gaza.

Simultaneously, President Donald Trump arrived in Israel aboard Air Force One for a tightly choreographed, one-day mission that included meetings with Israeli leaders and participation in a broader Middle East peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The juxtaposition — of freed captives and a visiting U. S. president hailed as a peace broker — lent the day both gravity and spectacle, one that many Israelis are calling “a turning point in history.”

The freed hostages — Alon Ohel, Matan Angrest, brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, Eitan Mor, Omri Miren, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal — were seized on October 7, 2023, during the Hamas terror onslaught that left more than 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 others kidnapped into Gaza. Their return, facilitated at the Re’im Base near the Gaza border, brought both national catharsis and private heartbreak.

The IDF confirmed shortly before 11 a. m. that the first group of seven had crossed back into Israeli territory, escorted by security forces and medical personnel. “The commanders and soldiers of the IDF salute and embrace the returning hostages as they make their way home,” the military said in an official statement. “They will undergo initial medical evaluations and reunite with their families in southern Israel.”

For the families waiting at Re’im — many of whom had endured sleepless nights for nearly two years — the moment was indescribable. A military official described the scene as “a flood of tears and applause,” where “hope and grief intertwined like never before.”

Among the returnees was 22-year-old Guy Gilboa-Dalal, kidnapped from the Nova music festival, where Hamas gunmen massacred hundreds of young people. Months earlier, a freed hostage reported seeing Guy alive, describing the “inhuman conditions” in which the captives were held — conditions that included malnutrition, confinement in underground tunnels, and psychological torment.

Omri Miren, abducted from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, became an emblem of endurance during the long months of waiting. His wife, Lishay, had posted a now-viral photograph the previous night showing their daughters, Roni (4) and Alma (2), standing beside packed pink suitcases with the caption: “Prepared and ready for Daddy Omri.”

Alon Ohel, a university student, was seized at the Nova festival. His mother, Dana Ohel, emerged as one of the leading voices in the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, organizing vigils, marches, and international campaigns that kept the plight of the captives in public view. “It was her voice,” said one activist, “that refused to let the world forget.”

Matan Angrest, another festivalgoer, was known as a volunteer medic and music lover. His parents led dozens of rallies urging government action, their faces now etched in the national consciousness.

The Berman brothers, Gali and Ziv, were captured together from southern Israel and spent every day of captivity side by side — their joint release offering a symbolic echo of resilience. “For their parents, it was the one mercy they prayed for,” said an IDF official at Re’im.

Eitan Mor, 23, from Kibbutz Re’im, was one of the last captives confirmed alive. His family, in a haunting act of faith, kept his room untouched for nearly two years — the bed made, his favorite books stacked neatly, the air thick with absence.

Across Israel, scenes of spontaneous jubilation erupted as the names of the released hostages were broadcast live on television. In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, a crowd of thousands — many carrying Israeli flags adorned with yellow ribbons — burst into applause and chants of “Bring them home now!”

Parents clutched their children. Some sang Hatikvah. Others wept in silence. For those whose loved ones remain in Gaza — including the families of 20 other living hostages slated for release later this week, and the 28 believed to be dead — the emotion was bittersweet.

“I just can’t trust Hamas to bring them all alive,” said Gil Dickmann, whose cousin Carmel Gat was murdered in captivity after being abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri. “Carmel was hours away from release when the ceasefire collapsed two months ago. We’ve been through too many false hopes.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed it had launched a “multi-phase operation” to coordinate the exchange of hostages and prisoners under the ceasefire framework. “We are facilitating the transfer of released hostages to Israeli authorities and the repatriation of prisoners to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,” said an ICRC spokesperson. “We will also oversee the transfer of remains so families can bury their loved ones with dignity.”

The Israeli military urged restraint and respect for privacy. “We ask the public to act responsibly and rely only on official information,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.

As the hostages crossed back into Israel, Air Force One descended onto the tarmac at Ben Gurion Airport at precisely 9:20 a. m., bearing President Donald Trump for a whirlwind diplomatic tour. The visit, lasting less than five hours, was timed to coincide with the hostage release — a symbolic alignment that underscored Washington’s deep involvement in brokering the ceasefire.

Trump was greeted by President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a brief ceremony under tight security, which had shut down sections of the Tel Aviv–Jerusalem highway for the presidential motorcade.

Prior to addressing a Knesset plenum, Netanyahu met privately with the families of the hostages in a closed door meeting, to offer his continued support and to hear the plaudits they offered for his Herculean efforts to secure the release of their loved ones.

Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him standing ovation after standing ovation. Some people in the audience wore red hats that resembled his “Make America Great Again” caps, although these versions said “Trump, The Peace President.”

Netanyahu hailed Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House” and he promised to work with him going forward.

“Mr President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,” he said. “And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.”

Speaking before the packed Knesset in Jerusalem, President Trump delivered a sweeping and emotional address that blended praise, triumphalism, and calls for a lasting peace following the end of the two-year Gaza war. His remarks, delivered just hours after the release of the first group of Israeli hostages, reflected both his signature style and a vision of the Middle East reordered by American power and Israeli resilience.

Trump opened with characteristic warmth toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him “an incredible man and patriot” who “knows how to win.” He credited Netanyahu and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for their role in defeating Hamas and securing the release of the hostages, while acknowledging the contributions of several Arab leaders who, he said, had quietly pressured Hamas to agree to the ceasefire. Trump’s thanks extended to longtime allies and advisers, including developer Steve Witkoff, former adviser Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump, whom he described as “someone who loves Israel so much she converted.”

Trump lauded members of his administration — Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth — claiming that under their leadership the United States had “settled eight wars in eight months” and restored American deterrence. He described his foreign policy as being “about stopping wars,” asserting that the United States, having rebuilt its military under his command, possessed the world’s most powerful arsenal. “We have the best weapons on earth,” he said, noting that Israel had received many of them, sometimes at Netanyahu’s direct request. “That led to peace,” Trump added.

The president recounted the horror of the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre — “the worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust” — pledging that the United States stood with Israel in the vows to “Never Forget and Never Again.” He said that the “nightmare” had now ended for both Israelis and Palestinians, as the ceasefire marked “a very exciting time for the Middle East.” He credited the IDF and U. S. forces for their coordinated campaigns, Operation Rising Lion and Operation Midnight Hammer, claiming that the destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities had been decisive in ending the war. Trump said that without the U. S.-led strike against Iran — which he asserted had been “two months from a bomb” — no peace deal would have been possible.

In dramatic detail, he described consulting with General “Raisin” Caine, who had led operations against ISIS. Trump said U. S. forces achieved total victory “in four weeks, with time left over,” after earlier predictions had estimated a five-year campaign. These military successes, he argued, made the present peace possible and removed “a big cloud off the Middle East and Israel.”

The president then turned to the future, asserting that “virtually the entire region” now backed a plan for Gaza’s demilitarization, Hamas’s disarmament, and permanent security guarantees for Israel. “Israel has won everything it can by force of arms,” he said. “Now it is time to translate that into real achievements.” Trump framed the moment as a generational opportunity to reshape the Middle East into “a miracle in the desert.”

Looking ahead to his upcoming trip to Egypt, Trump said he would meet with “the most powerful and richest nations in the world” at a regional peace summit. He credited the Abraham Accords — brokered during his first term — as the foundation for this new regional order. Many nations, he said, were now seeking to join the accords, and “the world is loving Israel again.” He congratulated Netanyahu for the courage to declare victory, urging that Israel rebuild “bigger and better than ever before.”

Turning to the Palestinians, Trump said they faced “a clear choice” between “the path of terror” and “the path of rebuilding.” He announced that he would chair a new “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction, funded by Arab and Muslim nations who had pledged “tremendous amounts of money” to ensure its success. “The productive and responsible nations of this region should not be enemies but partners,” he said. “Instead of making missiles, your wealth should flow to industry and artificial intelligence.”

In one of the speech’s most striking moments, Trump extended “the hand of friendship” to Iran, declaring that the United States and Israel bore “no hostility to the people of Iran.” He urged Tehran’s leaders to renounce terrorism and recognize Israel’s right to exist. “We are ready when you are,” he said.

Reaffirming his historic policies, Trump reminded the audience that he had moved the U. S. embassy to Jerusalem and authorized billions for Israel’s defense, calling Israel “the spiritual and geographic center of the entire world.” He praised the resilience of the Israeli people, saying their courage “defeated the enemies of civilization” and built “one of the great democracies of the world.”

Closing on a deeply emotional note, Trump reflected on meeting the families of hostages over the past two years: “I’ve seen the worst nightmares of suffering, but also the beautiful love that holds this nation together — the love that gives courage through thousands of years of persecution and emerges with the heart of David.”

He ended with a sweeping promise: “Israel, America, and all the nations of the Middle East will soon be safer, stronger, and more prosperous than ever before.”

“We have confronted evil together, waged war together, and — most beautifully — made peace together.”

“Thank you. God bless you. God bless the United States of America, and God bless the Middle East.”

Following his address, Trump departed for Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where the Summit for Peace convened under the joint chairmanship of President Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The high-level gathering — which also includes leaders from Turkey, Jordan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, the United Nations, and the European Union — aims to consolidate the fragile Gaza ceasefire and launch a regional framework for reconstruction and political normalization.

The Egyptian presidency announced that Trump will be awarded The Order of the Nile, Egypt’s highest honor, in recognition of his “distinguished contributions to peace efforts, defusing conflicts, and his pivotal role in ending the Gaza war.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli President’s Office confirmed that Trump will also receive the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest civilian decoration. In a statement, President Herzog praised Trump for his “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to the return of our hostages.”

“History will remember those who stood with Israel in our darkest hour,” Herzog said. “President Trump’s leadership helped turn despair into deliverance.”

At sunset, as the freed hostages underwent medical evaluations and prepared to reunite with their families, Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square remained crowded. Volunteers distributed candles, yellow ribbons, and small flags that read simply: “Welcome Home.”

Nearby, the massive LED screen that had displayed the faces of the captives for 24 months went briefly dark — then illuminated again with seven words that summed up a nation’s emotion:

“They’re home. But the mission continues.”