Israel says Hamas hands over the first seven hostages to the Red Cross as part of the Gaza ceasefire

[In It to Win It]

CAIRO (AP) — Hamas released seven hostages into the custody of the Red Cross on Monday, the first to be released as part of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. There was no immediate information on their condition.

Hamas has said 20 living hostages will be exchanged for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Families and friends of hostages broke out into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that the hostages were in the hands of the Red Cross.

Tens of thousands of Israelis are watching the transfers at public screenings across the country, with a major event being held in Tel Aviv.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/israel-prepares-welcome-last-living-020156021.html

[Frasier Balzov]

1. Bless the hostages.

Innocent, wrongfully held, and mistreated.

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[JoseBalow]

3. That's more than 95 to 1 exchange rate

20 living hostages will be exchanged for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners

[fujiyamasan]

4. Hopefully one of those 1,900 doesn't launch the next 10/7

I think one of the terrorist planners was released as part of a previous agreement for an Israeli soldier.

[Danmel]

7. Yes

Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7th terror attack was one of the more than 1,000 Palestinians released in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier kidnapped from Israel into Gaza. He was held for more than 5 years.

[DFW]

5. I hope Hamas doesn't dwell on that too much

If they get the impression that Israel thinks one of their own is worth 95 Palestinians, they might get a little pissed at the implication, even if no one made such an implication out loud or in print..

My question was how come there are only 20 Israeli hostages left alive? I know some had already been released, but that is less than one twelfth the number originally taken. Obviously to each hostage and their families, it matters greatly, but Hamas didn't really have a lot left to bargain with. It seems that with reports of them now openly strutting around Gaza as if they were homecoming heroes instead of the ones who set these past two years of misery in motion, there is a serious danger of returning to the status quo, minus all the death and destruction that has gone on in the interim. If Iran and Hezbollah arm them to the extent that they feel good enough to start round two, I don't know what there will be more of, blame or corpses. One personal consolation if they do--next time they don't get to come close to killing my daughter. There's that, at least.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Wikipedia says as of today, 168 had been released alive, and 58 bodies had been returned

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_war_hostage_crisis (the 58 may include the 3 killed by friendly fire)

[DFW]

8. So about two thirds of them survived

A thing for the 168 and their families to be joyful for, of course, but the cost has to be weighing on every one of them--if not immediately, at some point. It's a burden I'm glad not to be asked to share.

[Celerity]

9. All 20 living hostages back home, meeting families

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-october-13-2025/