Israeli Hostages Returned as Trump-Brokered Deal Goes Through

Following the acceptance of US President Trump's ceasefire deal from both sides, Hamas has returned Israel's remaining hostages that have been held captive for years.

Over two years ago, dozens of Israeli citizens were taken from their homes by Hamas militants, who invaded Israel and destroyed everything in their path. A massive war ensued, with Israel vowing to destroy each and every member of Hamas until the organization was truly no more. However, the conflict between the two sides has finally come to an end, and the remaining Israeli hostages being held in Gaza have been returned.

Throughout the war, many of the Israeli hostages died in captivity under torturous conditions, but some were returned to Israel through temporary ceasefires. Still, many of the dead hostages' bodies remained with Hamas, and they maintained control over dozens of other hostages.

Trump's new deal, which was accepted by Israel and Hamas last week, facilitated the release of this hostages by Hamas, in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israel. The bodies of 28 others are still being collected before their return, but the 20 living Israeli hostages were released, uniting Israel in a time of extreme division– the country was split over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to continue the war. Despite this, Israel seems to have already moved on, with the entire country rejoicing over the arrival of the hostages.

Meanwhile, Israel released over 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of which had been in captivity for decades. While Israel views these prisoners as convicted criminals, Palestinians see them as young citizens fighting for the independence of Palestine, whose territory has been constantly encroached upon by Israel over the past few decades. Many were held in Israel without trial or access to a lawyer, as recent Israeli rulings have made it legal to do so if they are labeled as "unlawful combatants." Additionally, various reports have confirmed extreme violence against Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including frequent beatings and starvation of prisoners. Israel denies these claims, though.

Nevertheless, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel desires for this to be a time of peace, both inside and outside Israel, implying that he is unlikely to attack Hamas again in the near future. Trump also asserted this idea, confirming that this is not a temporary pause in the war, but a permanent end to the conflict.

In the meantime, Trump's deal is also facilitating the arrival of aid into Gaza, which has been struggling with a severe humanitarian crisis for years. Serious shortages of food and water persist and electricity and internet are almost nonexistent, but aid is now flowing freely into the strip.

Trump also met with the leaders of Qatar, Türkiye, and Egypt, allowing them to sign a landmark deal that secures peace in the region and outlines the next steps to ensure a safe and lasting end to the conflict.

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Image credit to Al Jazeera