On This Day: Final living hostages return from Gaza, as Trump addresses Knesset following ceasefire

A year after October 13, 2025, The Jerusalem Post recounts the return of the final 20 living hostages from Gaza captivity and the handover of four murdered hostages' remains. On the same day, US President Donald Trump addressed the Knesset following the October 9 ceasefire announcement and his 20-point peace plan. Hamas's military wing framed the release as an Israeli "failure, surrender."

One year ago, on October 13, 2025, the final 20 living hostages returned from captivity in the Gaza Strip after more than two years held by Hamas. The group included Elkana Bohbot, Matan Angrest, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Alon Ohel, Evyatar David, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Rom Braslavski, Gali and Ziv Berman, Eitan Mor, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David and Ariel Cunio, and Omri Miran. Several suffered serious medical conditions. Bohbot, Ohana, Kuperstein, the Berman twins, the Cunio brothers, Braslavski and Harkin were taken to Sheba Medical Center. Health professionals expected severe malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies, with risk of refeeding syndrome. Alon Ohel had a shrapnel injury to his eye and, per Channel 12, was chained in the same tunnel for nearly two years, moved once 40 days before release; the IDF said the move was to use him as a human shield. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara sent handwritten letters to each hostage. The same day, US President Donald Trump addressed the Knesset plenum, becoming only the fourth sitting US president to do so. "The hostages are back! It feels so good to say it," Trump said. The State Department marked one year since the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit. Hamas's Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades claimed Israel "failed to recover" the hostages and had "surrendered." Some 1,716 Palestinian detainees were expected to be released at Nasser Hospital, and 250 serving life sentences to the West Bank, Jerusalem and abroad. The remains of Yossi Sharabi, Guy Illouz, Bipin Joshi and Captain Daniel Peretz were returned that evening; 18 Israeli remains were still held, with Ran Gvili's returned January 26.