Two dates in October are seared into the consciousness of Israelis — October 7 and October 13 — in split-screen moments.
On October 7, 2023, Israel was suddenly thrown into shock, grief and trauma as thousands of Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip broke through the fortified border fence and proceeded to kill about 1,200 people and abduct 251 Israelis and foreigners.
On October 13, 2025, Israel exulted in an outburst of exuberance as the last remaining 20 living hostages were finally released and joyously reunited with their families after two horrendous years and six days in captivity.
The bodies of only four of 28 deceased hostages were returned, bitterly disappointing their families and prompting Israel to accuse Hamas of violating the agreement. A search for the remaining dead captives is under way, but it is questionable whether all their corpses will be found.
As part of the agreement, Israel released 1,968 Palestinian detainees and prisoners, some of whom were serving life sentences.
Among the released captives were Alon Ohel, Ariel Cunio and Avinatan Or.
Ohel was seized from a roadside bomb shelter after fleeing the Nova music festival, where more than 350 people were slaughtered.
Cunio was kidnapped from Nir Oz, a kibbutz near Gaza.
Or and his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, were abducted by Hamas terrorists at the music festival.
By any measure, October 13 was an extraordinary day suffused with mixed emotions.
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “This is a historic event that blends sorrow over the release of murderers and joy over the return of hostages,” he said in a recorded statement broadcast on the eve of the hostages’ release.
“With the return of the hostages, we are fulfilling one of the important goals for which we went to war, an objective that is a national, moral, and Jewish imperative,” said General Eyal Zamir, the commander of the Israeli armed forces.
Military pressure, alongside a “complementary diplomatic move” by the United States, brought about “victory” over Hamas, he added. “We will continue to act to shape a security reality that will ensure that no threat to the State of Israel and its citizens will loom from the Gaza Strip.”
This euphoric and unforgettable day was orchestrated by U.S. President Donald Trump. It was the first phase of a 20-point peace plan that led to the ceasefire, which seems to have ended Israel’s longest war and may yet resolve further problems in Gaza.
Trump, greeted rapturously in Israel during a whirlwind visit, delivered an upbeat speech in the Knesset in which he claimed that Israel had achieved its objectives in Gaza “by force of arms.”
“You’ve won,” said Trump, who spoke to the families of previously released hostages before flying to a peace summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm-Sheikh. “I mean, you’ve won.”
“Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East,” he added in a flourish.
On the flight en route to Israel, Trump hewed to an identical theme. Asked by a reporter whether the Israel-Hamas war had run its course, he replied, “The war is over. The war is over. Ok. You understand that?”
In response to his comment, Netanyahu begged to differ, insisting that the military “campaign is not over.” As he put it, “There are still major security challenges ahead of us. Some of our enemies are trying to recover in order to attack us again.”
Two days before the hostages were released, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, addressed an immense crowd in central Tel Aviv. He arrived with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and Kushner’s wife, Ivanka.
“Tonight we celebrate something extraordinary, a moment that many thought was impossible. Yet here we stand, living proof that when courage meets conviction, miracles can happen. A peace born not out of politics, but out of courage, the courage of those who refuse to give up hope,” he said.
Witkoff paid homage to the “strength, resilience” and “unwavering spirit” of the Israeli people “through unimaginable pain and loss.”
As Israel waited for the blessed moment when the hostages would be freed, two Israelis succumbed to despair.
Yelena Giler, the mother of Slava Giler, who was murdered at the music festival on October 7, committed suicide on October 9.“From that dark day, she was never the same,” his brother, Alex, wrote in a social media post.
Roei Shalev, whose girlfriend, Mapal Adam, was murdered in front of him as he shielded her at the music festival, took his life on October 10.
In a social media explaining his anguish, he wrote, “Please don’t be angry with me, please. No one will ever understand me, and that’s okay because you can’t understand. I just want this suffering to end. I’m alive, but inside everything is dead.”
His suicide note speaks volumes, encapsulating the profound depression of October 7 and the untrammelled joy of October 13.
Much to the relief of Israelis, the rollercoaster of emotions that gripped Israel for the past two years now appears to be a thing of the past, but a tumultuous chapter that will never be forgotten.