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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-13 at 18:07
HEADLINES
Twenty Hostages Freed, Ceasefire Advances
Four Deceased Hostages Identified
Trump Signs Gaza Ceasefire at Sharm el-Sheikh
The time is now 2:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This hour, at 2:00 PM, Israel greets a day of firsts and sobering reminders as a new phase in the Gaza ceasefire unfolds. Twenty hostages, taken during the Hamas assault of October 7, 2023, have been released and returned to Israel after 738 days in captivity. Four deceased hostages were returned in a separate, parallel step as part of the evolving agreement, with their remains escorted by Israeli forces and the Red Cross to be identified at the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv. Israel is making clear that Hamas must fulfill its commitments under the ceasefire and return all captives, living and dead, as agreed.
The four deceased hostages being identified today are Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi, and Daniel Perez. Illouz was taken at the Nova festival and died in Gaza from wounds, Perez was a platoon commander from Yad Binyamin killed on October 7, 2023, Sharabi, 53, was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri, and Joshi, a Nepali student, was held in Gaza and whose death was confirmed with concern by Israeli authorities. The caskets are expected to be transported to the national forensic institute for confirmation of identity, a process officials say could take up to two days. In advance of any burial, a small military ceremony is planned, and the caskets will be draped in Israeli flags as troops salute and psalms are recited.
Earlier today, 20 hostages were released and brought home, marking a significant moment in the dual track of hostages and bodies in the ceasefire arrangement. The return of these living captives occurred as part of a broader effort to end years of captivity and set the stage for healing within Israeli society. The hostages’ families have spoken of profound relief, even as they acknowledge the long road ahead for the rehabilitation and reintegration of their loved ones.
Among those liberated is the couple Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or, who faced their own harrowing ordeal in Gaza. A government video shows Or, 32, reuniting with his parents as his mother chants the shehecheyanu blessing, a moment broadcast as a symbol of gratitude for a new experience after two years apart. The reunion is intertwined with other personal stories of resilience and the long arc of the conflict’s human cost.
In the days ahead, the hospital system is coordinating medical evaluations and long-term care for returned hostages. At Sheba, the hospital director and medical teams note that the days of captivity leave a notable imprint on health and mental well-being; the returning hostages are to undergo a comprehensive battery of tests and assessments as part of their recovery. Israel’s medical authorities emphasize that the reunification with families is an essential component of healing, while continuing to monitor medical conditions and respond to needs as they present.
On the political front, the ceasefire arrangement continues to evolve. A day marked by the release of hostages and bodies coincided with a high-profile political moment in Sharm el-Sheikh, where President Donald Trump signed a Gaza ceasefire deal. The document was signed with regional mediators—Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey—alongside Trump, as part of an international effort to end the Gaza war, restore humanitarian channels, and set a framework for Gaza’s future. Israeli officials have urged Hamas to uphold its end of the agreement, warning that any deliberate delay or failure to return all remains would be treated as a violation of the deal. Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a direct rebuke to Hamas, underscoring that the Israeli government will respond firmly to any breach and will persist in the effort to recover every missing and fal
Published on 3 weeks, 2 days ago