Hostage supporters in Tel Aviv celebrate as first part of peace deal begins

Gili Tagori dressed as Trump during celebrations. Photographer: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg Photo by Kobi Wolf /Bloomberg

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(Bloomberg) — Families and supporters of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas flocked on Thursday to the Tel Aviv square that’s become the focal point of two years of campaigning for their release.

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Yet, on this occasion, the mood was celebratory rather than solemn.

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“I feel sublime this morning, something that can’t be put into words,” said Danny Miran, the father of Omri, who was taken from a kibbutz during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. “We know nothing of Omri’s condition,” he added, having last seen his son in a video released by the Palestinian terrorist group about six months ago. “We just know he was suffering.”

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Omri is one of the roughly 20 hostages that Hamas still holds in Gaza that Israel believes are still alive, and is now due to be freed under the terms of a peace deal championed by U.S. President Donald Trump and concluded overnight. The group of abductees has dwindled from an initial 250 due to earlier release agreements, while some have died. Their fate remained a highly-charged issue in Israel as the war progressed.

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Trump says the hostages will probably be released on Monday or Tuesday and he may be in Israel for the handover.

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The deal is backed by 82 per cent of the Israeli public, according to poll from local broadcaster Channel 13, and opposed by just 7 per cent.

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Trump’s 20-point plan, still at the initial stages of adoption, marks the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the Hamas attack that triggered the conflict. As well as the exchange of hostages for almost 2,000 Palestinians prisoners, both sides have agreed to a significant influx of aid to Gaza, to be facilitated by United Nations agencies. That should help address the humanitarian crisis in the strip.

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The sense of relief and joy in Hostage Square was felt by some Palestinians in Gaza, who are shattered by a war that’s devastated the territory and killed more than 67,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there, which cannot be independently verified.

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In Hostage Square, as the central plaza outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art has become known, the mood was focused firmly on the return of the people whose names and faces have adorned surrounding buildings since 2023. A huge digital clock that counts down the days and minutes they have been imprisoned may still be ticking, but the usually grim atmosphere was replaced by one of joy.

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There were spontaneous outbreaks of singing and dancing and many people arrived wrapped in the Israeli flag. The American stars and stripes was also highly visible.

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“It’s a good morning! It’s the first time in two years that we can say good morning,” said Sharon Kalderon, a relative of three hostages released in earlier exchanges. “Do you know anyone who isn’t happy today, except maybe one or two members of our government?”