Thirteen hostages were released to the IDF and are now en route to Israel for medical assessments and family reunification, as confirmed by a joint notice from the IDF spokesman and Shin Bet between 8:05 AM and 9:05 AM UTC on October 13th, 2025. This development occurred as U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at the Knesset in Jerusalem this morning, declared "The war is over." The released hostages, named by the IDF as Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, and Ariel Cunio, were collected by the Red Cross from Hamas in southern Gaza's Khan Younis and handed over to IDF troops inside Gaza. The Red Cross notified the military of the collection "a short while ago," according to the IDF. Hamas has stated it is now no longer holding any living hostages and is set to begin returning the remains of 28 dead hostages, though the terror group has told mediators it does not know the location of some bodies, potentially delaying their return. President Trump's meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset bureau extended by 45 minutes, impacting the schedule for his address. He is scheduled to address the Knesset and meet with former hostages. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been livestreaming President Trump's address. Earlier in the day, seven hostages were released and transferred to Israeli territory, with some identified as Gali and Ziv Berman, Eitan Mor, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, and Omri Miran. The US Army chief of staff, who arrived with President Trump, is scheduled to meet with chief of staff Eyal Zamir for a working meeting today. The Israeli government has asked the public to "discover responsibility and sensitivity, respect the privacy of the return and stick to the official information" as the returnees make their way to Israel. According to Amit Segal, Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently speaking with Egyptian President a-Sisi. The Chief of Staff is also considering attending a summit in Sharm El Sheikh. Footage has shown Gali and Ziv Berman in Maccabi uniforms, and the Israeli government stated, "For the first time in two years, Gali, Ziv, Eitan, Matan, Guy & Alon are safe - back in Israel, surrounded by love. We’ve waited for you for so long. There’s no greater joy than saying: Welcome home."
