Israelis delight at peace deal that would see hostages returned

US President Donald Trump’s announcement of an agreement that is expected to result in the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip for more than two years created joy and relief throughout Israel.

The Hostage Families Forum, an organization advocating the return of Israeli captives in Gaza, expressed its “deep gratitude” to Trump for what it called a “historic breakthrough.”

The deal, which still has to be agreed upon by Israel’s war cabinet, would see the release of 20 living hostages and 28 dead hostages in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment in Israeli prisons and 1,700 detainees from Gaza.

So far, 148 hostages have been returned, most as part of earlier ceasefire agreements. 51 bodies were recovered and eight hostages were rescued.

There were jubilant scenes as hundreds of people gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square before the signing of the agreement.

The crowd began clapping and dancing under US and Israeli flags; a woman held a sign that read “We love Trump.”

“This is a magical day,” the woman said.

Another Yael, 50, cried as she watched the crowd dance.

“I’m so excited, it’s so refreshing,” he said. “We need to see them return to their families.”

The mother and sister of Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker lit fireworks to celebrate the news that he would be returning home.

“They’re coming back!… Matan is coming home!” Einav Zangauker said as she held her daughter in her arms.

Viki Cohen, the mother of Israeli hostage Nimrod Cohen, shared on social media, “My child, you are coming home.”

Among the crowds celebrating in Hostages Square was Inbar Goldstein, whose brother and nephew were killed in the October 7 attacks. His sister-in-law, his nephew and two nephews were taken hostage and released in November 2023.

Inbar said today feels like “the beginning of the end.”

“We’ve had different kinds of endings over the past two years, but even though I know and tell myself there will be different kinds of tears, it feels like the grand finale we’ve been looking for. [on the day the hostages return]” he said.

“I don’t know what to expect, but I know it’s going to be a new way of breathing for us because we’ve been suffocating for the last two years.”

“It was only when I saw the hostages coming back that I declared that I would learn the steps and join dance groups. Today I am not dancing, I am standing still and smiling, but soon I will dance,” he said.

Rotem Cooper’s family was taken hostage on that important day for Israel. His mother was released later that month, but his father was killed in captivity and his body remained in Gaza.

“It’s a mixed bag [of emotions] – The first is success. “This is something we fought for through moments of desperation to get a deal, any deal, for the hostages,” he said.

“This is what we are fighting for, this is why we spend countless hours in the streets, at rallies, on this stage, in the Knesset.” [the Israeli parliament]traveling abroad, speaking to world leaders. Suddenly we are here. It’s worth fighting for; It’s about all the hostages. “This is about ending the war.”

He said the deal meant he could finally bury and mourn his father.

Former British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari celebrated with another freed hostage, Romi Gonen, by reciting prayers of thanks and then toasting “L’chaim”, meaning “to life”. His friends are campaigning for the release of his twin children, Gali and Ziv Berman.

Their sister Liran Berman shared the following: “My Gali and Ziv, I love you very much. You are coming home.”

Gil Dickman’s cousin, Carmel Gat, was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, and his body was recovered from a tunnel in Gaza almost a year later. He is working with other hostage families to reach an agreement that would allow for the return of those currently held in Gaza.

“I can’t believe this is actually happening. We’ve been waiting for a long time and here it is,” he said.

He said he felt “hurt” that Carmel would not be among those returning home, but was “gleaming with joy for the families of the hostages who finally returned.”

Dalia Cusnir, whose brother-in-law Eitan Horn is a captive in Gaza, said she felt she was living “in a dream”.

“We are grateful to President Trump and everything he has done for us. We think this could be the beginning of the end of this nightmare, and hugging Eitan feels closer than ever,” he said.

But he warned it was too early to celebrate.

“We won’t open the champagne until the last hostage comes. We will keep fighting… until the end,” he said.

“A lot of things can happen right up until the last moment, which is why we’re being so careful. We just want to thank everyone involved in these efforts and make sure this deal gets done… But we’ll celebrate when we get the last hostage home.”

Eitan was taken from the Nir Oz kibbutz in southern Israel along with his brother Iair, who was released from captivity under a ceasefire agreement earlier this year.