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I’m coming to you today as we watch live feeds from Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva, where freed Israeli hostages are arriving after more than 700 days in Hamas captivity. It’s one of those rare days when the cameras catch something other than destruction or outrage—today we get to see relief, tears, and reunions.

At 8:00 a.m. local time, Hamas began transferring the first group of hostages. By 10:28 a.m., the last of the twenty living Israeli captives crossed out of Gaza and into Israeli hands. The Red Cross handled the official transfer, and the Israeli Defense Forces escorted them to safety.

This is a moment of celebration for Israel—and a key milestone in the Trump-brokered Gaza peace framework. Streets across Israel are lined with flags, music, and families hugging for the first time in two years. And honestly, I couldn’t be happier to say this: I was wrong.

Weeks ago, I said I didn’t think we’d see these hostages alive without a negotiated deal. I still think the odds were slim—but the fact that they beat those odds, thanks to President Trump’s diplomatic push, is something we can all be grateful for.

The Cost of Freedom

Israel held up its end of the bargain—releasing roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences for terrorism. Only a couple dozen of the most notorious offenders were withheld. None of the October 7th attackers were freed.

In exchange, Hamas released all of the remaining living hostages.

But not all promises were kept.

Out of 28 deceased hostages Hamas had pledged to return, only four have been recovered. Hamas now claims it “cannot locate” the rest—saying the bodies may be buried in rubble or collapsed tunnels. That may sound like an excuse, but as Vice President J.D. Vance said yesterday, it’s likely true that some remains may never be found.

Still, for the families waiting on closure, that’s cold comfort.

“Every Israeli mother and father wants to bury their child,”
said one member of the Hostage Families Forum.
“This deal is not finished until every one of them is home.”