Gaza hostages reunite with families after two years

The 25 -year -old Matan Zanguker walks in the arms of his mother.

“You are my life,” she exclaims, hugging him firmly in footage, filmed by Israeli military. “My life. My hero. Come, come.”

Matan was one of 20 living hostages left in Gaza after being taken during the attacks led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which were released on Monday after two years in captivity.

His mother Ainov is a campaign cruel to the return of Matan. She became one of the most famous persons of the movement and asked the Israeli government to agree to the exchange of hostages with Hamas.

Last week, she and her daughter lit fireworks at Holings Square in Tel Aviv to celebrate the fire termination deal, which was agreed between Israel and Hamas as part of Donald Trump’s peace plan.

On Monday, the crowds gathered and cheered on the same square as they watched footage on big screens of Matan, and the remaining 19 released assets returning to Israel and reunited with their families.

People removed the Israeli and American flags and held pictures of the hostages and signs, saying “they are coming home.”

Matan was taken with her partner Ilana Gricevski of Nir Oz, but Ilana was released during the truce of next month.

In December 2024, Hamas released a video showing Matan in captivity, in which he said he and his fellow hostages suffer from skin diseases and a lack of food, water and medicines.

In a video call with Matan on Monday shortly after his release, Ainov told him: “Thank God the war is over. The war is over.”

In a later statement, the family says that “after two years hell, we are starting a new chapter of our lives today – one of the healing and rehabilitation.”

This mood was shared by several of the families who were reunited with their loved ones.

The family of Eitan Horn, who was also taken by Nir Oz and whose brother Jair was released during the cessation of fire in February, said they would have “hugs and a lot of love and we would accompany him throughout the recovery process.”

Relatives of 24-year-old Evatar David, who was taken from the Nova Music Festival and was seen in a tunnel in a video published by Hamas in August, said they always “knew he would come back.”

“After two years of suffering, he is here. Now a new journey for healing for Evgae and us will start,” they said in a statement.

The living hostages were collected from Gaza meetings by the International Red Cross Committee (MCC), which acts as a neutral intermediary in the show.

They were then reunited with close to the reception near the border of Gaza before being diverted to hospitals to begin the process of physical and psychological treatment.

There were celebrations in Israel when the 20 hostages returned. People removed in the sky and cheered as they were flew from above in military helicopters on their way to hospitals.

Inbar Goldstein, whose own relatives were released in November 2023, told the BBC that he felt “happy and grateful”.

“I know the sad days are still ahead, but I want to split between what I know and what I feel,” she said.

Elsewhere in the square, teenage Yarden said to the BBC: “We are here for the hostages, their release and celebrate them. Today, all Israelis are together – it is not about left or right, but for everyone to be together to celebrate the hostages.”

But while the living hostages have already been returned, many families from the captivity killed are still waiting, with Hamas saying that only four bodies of 28 will be released on Monday. The Israeli military said this would perform forensic tests before confirming their identity and informing their families.

A copy of the fire termination agreement, published by the Israeli media, said the remains of all deceased hostages should be handed over by 12:00 local time (09:00 GMT) on Monday. However, he also seems to admit that Hamas and other Palestinian factions may not be able to find them during this period of time.

The deal also included the release of about 250 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons who were convicted of crimes, including murder and deadly attacks against Israelis – and about 1,700 detained by Gaza, who were held by Israel without charge.

In a statement, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) called on Hamas to “maintain its end of the deal” by returning all the bodies.

Matan’s family said there could be no closure until it happened.

“We will continue to stand next to the victims’ families and fight until the last hostage is brought home,” they said.