Hostage Deal
An Australian Jewish community rally for the release of the hostages.
October 9, 2025, 11:09 am
Australian Jewish community welcomes hostage deal
News brings "deep emotion and profound relief"
By Bruce Hill
The 48 hostages held in Gaza: First row, from left: Rom Braslavski, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Elkana Bohbot, Matan Angrest, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Alon Ohel. Second row, from left: Eitan Mor, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Evyatar David, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Bipin Joshi. Third row, from left: Dror Or, Tamir Adar, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Tamir Nimrodi, Omri Miran. Fourth row, from left: Manny Godard, Sgt. First Class Ran Gvili, Sahar Baruch, Uriel Baruch, Sonthaya Oakkharasri, Ronen Engel, Muhammad Alatrash, Guy Illouz. Fifth row, from left: Joshua Mollel, Sgt. Itay Chen, Col. Asaf Hamami, Tal Chaimi, Aryeh Zalmanovich, Inbar Heiman, Sgt. Oz Daniel, Lt. Hadar Goldin. Bottom row, from left: Yossi Sharabi, Sudthisak Rinthalak, Maj. Lior Rudaeff, Amiram Cooper, Cpt. Daniel Perez, Cpt. Omer Neutra, Eliyahu Margalit, Eitan Levy. (Combo photo by Times of Israel; pictures: Courtesy)
October 5, 2025, 10:20 am
Israeli official: Hostages could be free ‘in a few days’
Source close to Netanyahu says Hamas was never previously prepared to free all hostages without full IDF pullout from Gaza.
By TOI STAFF and Jacob Magid
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff (L), accompanied by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (R), speaks during a dinner with US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Blue Room of the White House on July 7, 2025 in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
July 23, 2025, 11:53 am
Witkoff hopes to join hostage talks in Doha – source
US says envoy heading to region; source says he hasn’t departed and trip hinges on progress in hostage talks.
By Jacob Magid
Hostage Matan Angrest in a first image released by his family from Hamas captivity, March 3, 2025 (Courtesy)
March 4, 2025, 2:02 pm
First photo of hostage soldier Matan Angrest released
Angrest’s mother demands return of all captives ‘before we deploy more soldiers who won’t return’.
By TOI STAFF
People protest calling for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, outside the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem, March 2, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/ Flash90)
March 3, 2025, 1:54 pm
US backs Israeli call for new Gaza plan
Relatives of captives urge bringing everyone back before any renewed fighting.
By Jacob Magid and FOLLOW JESSICA STEINBERG and TOI STAFF
Relatives of recently freed hostages Tal Shoham, Omer Wenkert, Eliya Cohen, and Omer Shem Tov hold a press conference at the Rabin Medical Center on February 23, 2025. (Paulina Patimer/Hostages Families Forum)
February 24, 2025, 1:48 pm
Families of freed hostages share new details
Father of Hisham al-Sayed says he returned a shell of a person after a decade in Hamas captivity; Netanyahu speaks to freed captives Sagui Dekel-Chen and Ohad Ben Ami.
A protest tent calling for the release of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, outside the Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem, February 18, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
February 19, 2025, 11:02 am
Six living hostages set to be released Saturday
The group includes two men who entered Gaza years ago, a father taken from Kibbutz Be’eri, and three from Nova.
By TOI STAFF
Demonstrators protest for the release of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, outside the IDF's Kirya Base in Tel Aviv, February 17, 2025. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)
February 18, 2025, 9:17 am
Hamas to return bodies of four hostages
Israel is preparing for four bodies to be returned as Jerusalem tries to free captives faster.
By By LAZAR BERMAN and JACOB MAGID AND TOI STAFF
Protesters for a hostage deal and against the government at Begin Gate in Tel Aviv, February 15, 2025. (Eitan Slonim/ Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)
February 17, 2025, 2:33 pm
There will ‘absolutely’ be stage two of ceasefire
US President Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff says US president ‘wants to see’ next phase happen of ceasefire as Israeli delegation set to depart for Cairo talks.
By TOI STAFF and JACOB MAGID AND LAZAR BERMAN
Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida in a video address after the release of three Israeli hostages, January 19, 2025. (X)
February 11, 2025, 10:02 am
Hamas says it’s delaying next hostage release, claiming Israeli truce violations
Defense minister calls delay an ‘outright violation’ of deal, orders IDF on highest alert, as PM moves up security cabinet meeting to Tuesday morning; mediators said concerned.
By Charlie Summers, Emanuel Fabian and Agencies and TOI Staff
Israeli captives, from left to the right, Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy, who have been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, onstage before being handed over to the Red Cross in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
February 10, 2025, 1:26 pm
‘Severe physical and mental deterioration’
Outlets cite families of Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami as saying they were held in Gaza tunnels; health officials: Conditions worse than previous returned captives.
By ELANA KIRSH and DIANA BLETTER and TOI STAFF
Idit Ohel, mother of hostage Alon Ohel, interviewed on Channel 12 news, February 9, 2025 (The Times of Israel: Channel 12 screenshot)
February 10, 2025, 11:51 am
Alon Ohel’s mother pleads for his release
Family of Alon Ohel — who turns 24 on Monday — say he is wounded and chained in Hamas tunnels, after testimony from newly freed hostages who were held with him in dire conditions.
By TOI STAFF
Yarden Bibas, flanked by his sister and father, is seen on an IDF helicopter on his way to a hospital in central Israel on February 1, 2025 (The Times of Israel: Israel Defense Force)
February 3, 2025, 12:31 pm
Hamas captors said to have tormented Yarden Bibas with incessant talk of wife, kids
Reports say Bibas, Ofer Calderon were beaten, held in cages during early days of captivity; Keith Siegel says food was scarce, had to eat meat to survive despite being vegetarian.
By TOI STAFF
Naama Levy reunited with her parents. Photo: IDF
January 30, 2025, 12:09 pm
Released hostages begin healing process
The video of a bleeding Levy being pulled by her hair, wrists tied behind her back and her pants bloodied, was one of the most horrific images from the October 7 attacks.
By Carly Adno
Top (L-R) Karina Ariev, Liri Albag; bottom (L-R) Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa, the four Israeli released hostages, at Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, January 25, 2025 (Israel Defense Forces)
January 29, 2025, 12:56 pm
Some released hostages were held in tunnels with no human contact for months, IDF says
Military doctor refuses to discuss possible torture or abuse to maintain their privacy; says hostages’ injuries were not properly treated, they bear signs of mild starvation.
By REUTERS and TOI STAFF
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