From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 13, 2025
Macron welcomes hostage releases, pledges France’s commitment to Trump’s peace plan
Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
French President Emmanuel Macron hails the return of the first seven Israeli hostages to be released from Gaza this morning, saying that with the release of all living hostages, “peace becomes possible for Israel, for Gaza, and for the region.”
“I share the joy of the families and of the Israeli people as seven hostages have just been handed over to the Red Cross,” writes Macron on X.
“With their release — and that of the thirteen other hostages expected this morning — peace becomes possible for Israel, for Gaza, and for the region,” continues the president, who is set to join dozens of world leaders in Egypt at the Sharm El-Sheikh summit today, focusing on advancing the US plan to end the Gaza war. Hamas and Israel agreed to the first phase of the agreement last week, prompting the hostages’ release.
“France will be involved in every stage of [US] President [Donald] Trump’s plan, alongside the Arab partners it helped mobilize,” Macron says.
I share the joy of the families and of the Israeli people as seven hostages have just been handed over to the Red Cross. My team and I had recently met their parents.
Eitan Mor, Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Omri Miran, Alon Ahel and Guy Gilboa-Dalal are safe.…
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 13, 2025
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