Gaza Peace Deal: Hostages Expected to be Freed Within 72 Hours

As part of a peace deal to end the war in Gaza, all hostages, both alive and deceased, are expected to be released within 72 hours.

The Details: The peace deal, agreed upon by Hamas and Israel, orders Hamas to release all its hostages. Once the hostages are released, Israel will release a total of 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences. Of the 47 Israeli hostages that remain in Gaza, at least 20 are believed to be alive, and will be released early next week, according to President Trump. The Israeli government has said 26 of the hostages are deceased, although the status of two others remains uncertain. The remains of another hostage, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier Hadar Goldin, have been held there since 2014. Palestinians have started to return to northern Gaza following Israel's announcement that the ceasefire has officially begun.

The Hostages: CNN (Lean Left bias) reported the hostages who are believed to be alive are all men and all but one are in their 20s and 30s. Women, children and men over the age of 50 were released under previous ceasefire agreements. The Washington Times (Lean Right) said Hamas is expected to seek release of some of its highest-profile prisoners, including Marwan Barghouti, the most popular and potentially unifying Palestinian political figure. The outlet wrote, “Israel views Barghouti and the others as terrorist masterminds who murdered Israeli civilians, and has refused to release them in past exchanges.” 

For Context: About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage in the Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023. Israel’s military response in Gaza has since resulted in more than 67,000 deaths and nearly 170,000 injuries, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israeli airstrikes continued in the hours before the Cabinet’s vote on Thursday. Explosions were reported in northern Gaza, and a strike on a Gaza City building killed at least two people and left more than 40 trapped, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.

How the Media Covered It: CNN detailed the hostages taken by Hamas, including from where in Israel they were taken, and whether they were believed to be alive or not. The Washington Times highlighted some Hamas prisoners in Israel, and Israeli fears that the release of high-profile political figures might cause “history to repeat itself.” The Times of Israel (Center) cited academic experts who cautioned about the toll captivity could take on Israeli hostages. One professor noted that “the more time [prisoners spend] in captivity, the more psychological and physical damage they will suffer.”