13 Israeli hostages transferred to IDF, are returning to Israel after two years in captivity

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

The second set of hostages set to be freed on October 13, 2025: First row, from left: Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana; Second row, from left: Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn; 3rd row, from left: Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Segev Kalfon (Courtesy)
The second set of hostages set to be freed on October 13, 2025: First row, from left: Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana; Second row, from left: Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn; 3rd row, from left: Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Segev Kalfon (Courtesy)

Thirteen Israeli hostages released by Hamas are now in the hands of IDF troops in the Gaza Strip, the military says.

Hamas handed over the 13 — named as Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, and Ariel Cunio — to the Red Cross in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis.

The hostages will be escorted out of the Strip by Israeli special forces to an army facility near the border community of Re’im for an initial checkup and to meet their families.

Earlier, seven hostages were freed from Gaza City. Now that those 20 have been released, Hamas is no longer holding any living hostages for the first time since its October 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel.

Later today, Hamas is set to start returning the remains of the 28 dead hostages it is still holding.

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