JERUSALEM, October 13 — Seven Israeli hostages released by Hamas on Monday have been reunited with their families, as another group of 13 was handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza, Israeli media reported.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that the first group of seven hostages had been safely transferred to the Red Cross and were escorted by special Israeli forces to Israeli positions inside Gaza. The hostages, identified as Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, and Guy Gilboa-Dallal, were later taken to an IDF facility near the border community of Re’im for medical and psychological evaluations before meeting their families.
“The first seven hostages have arrived safely and are receiving necessary care,” an IDF spokesperson said. “We are relieved to see them reunited with their loved ones.”
Meanwhile, 28 other hostages remain in Hamas’s custody, with plans to transfer most of them to Israel later in the day. The release and transfer operations follow ongoing negotiations between Israel and the terror group over hostages taken during recent escalations.
The second batch of 13 hostages handed to the Red Cross represents a continuation of the coordinated effort to return captives safely. “We are working closely with international organizations to ensure the release process is conducted securely,” the spokesperson added.
The gradual release of hostages comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with Israeli forces maintaining a strong presence along the Gaza border as part of their operational and humanitarian oversight.
