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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-13 at 08:10
HEADLINES
- Seven hostages return to Israeli soil
- Second-phase hostages to be released soon
- Trump visits Israel amid hostage release push
The time is now 4:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
A ceasefire brokered with U S backing and announced in Sharm el-Sheik h as Gaza holds at the moment, the first wave of hostages has begun returning to Israeli soil, with seven living captives arriving in stages and medical assessments underway. Israeli officials say the operation remains tightly coordinated with Red Cross representatives and security forces to ensure the welfare of the captives and the safety of the transfer points. Alongside the return, the Israeli government emphasizes that its security is nonnegotiable and that the military will maintain readiness to address any threats that could test the ceasefire.
In the newest developments, seven hostages were transferred from Hamas to Israeli forces and began the journey to medical facilities in Israel after crossing into territory controlled by the Israeli military. The seven were Alon Ohel, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Eitan Mor, Omri Miran, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. Families gathered at reception points and at the reception centers near the transfer zones, where they received updates from a joint Israeli Defense Forces and Shin Bet liaison. The Red Cross confirmed it had taken custody of the hostages on arrival and would supervise further handovers as the operation moves to the next stage.
Crowds in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square erupted with emotion as word spread that the first group had reached Israeli soil. Dozens carried photographs of the captives and waved yellow ribbons in a vigil that connected families, friends, and supporters who had waited for years for word of their loved ones. One demonstrator described a mix of relief and grief, saying the moment was heavy with both joy for those returning and sorrow for others who remain unaccounted for.
Official guidance indicates a second stage of releases is expected, with roughly thirteen additional hostages slated for handover in coming hours, bringing the total to twenty living captives released in the initial phase of the accord. Hamas has published a list of those to be freed in the second stage, and mediators say the process will continue under Red Cross oversight. Israel has signaled it is prepared to receive the next group as soon as the handover is complete and security conditions permit.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog have welcomed the return of the seven captives and have pledged to sustain security measures as a core requirement of the ceasefire. President Trump’s arrival in Israel for a high-visibility visit coincides with these events, underscoring a moment of intensified domestic and international attention. The U S president is scheduled to address a special session of the Knesset and to participate in a regional gathering in Egypt; at the same time, he is expected to be briefed on the hostage exchange and the broader security landscape, including the potential for future cooperation with Israel on regional peace efforts described by American and Israeli officials as a stance of peace through strength.
International observers note that Iran and its network of proxies have faced pressures as the ceasefire stabilizes. Analysts caution that while the conflict has moved into a new phase, Iran’s regional footprint remains a factor in the security calculus for Israel, Hamas, and allied partners. Reports stress that the fall in direct leverage for some Iran-linked groups could shape how the next days unfold in terms of violence, deterrence, and political messaging from the various actors involved.
On the humanitarian front, the Gaza ceasefire has brought a pause to some of the most painful bottlenecks in the territory, but ques
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