US Vice President JD Vance cautioned on Sunday (October 12) that some hostages killed by Hamas during captivity after the 2023 attacks on Israel may never be returned to their families.
Vance said, speaking on Fox News: “The reality is that some of the hostages may never get back, but I do think, with some effort, we’ll be able to give them to their families so they at least have some closure.”
Vance added: “We do want to give these people the ability to have a proper burial with their loved ones who were murdered by brutal terrorists, and that matters to us. It matters to the families, and it will remain a focus, but it’s going to take some time.”
However, he said that while not all victims’ remains will be recovered, most are expected to be returned eventually.
Israel declares victory over Hamas
Hamas faces a deadline to release all remaining hostages to Israel under a peace deal brokered by US President Donald Trump. The agreement ends the two-year-long Israel-Hamas conflict, which erupted after the Hamas terror attacks on October 7, 2023.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the ceasefire: “This is an emotional evening, an evening of tears, an evening of joy, because tomorrow our children will return to our borders… Together we achieved tremendous victories, victories that amazed the whole world… But at the same time I must tell you, the fight is not over.”
Hostage release and Palestinian prisoners
Shosh Bedrosian, spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office, confirmed that the release of the hostages will begin early Monday: “We are expecting all 20 of our living hostages to be released together at one time.”
She added that Palestinian prisoners will only be released once Israel confirms that all hostages have safely crossed the border. Under the agreement, Hamas is to release 47 hostages, both living and deceased, and hand over the remains of a soldier killed in 2014.
The prisoner exchange will include about 1,700 detainees held during the war in Gaza and 250 convicted of security offenses, including killings of Israelis.
Trump to address Israeli Parliament, host Middle East peace summit
President Trump is scheduled to arrive in Israel shortly after the expected release of hostages. He will address the Israeli parliament before traveling to Egypt to chair a summit in Sharm El-Sheikh with leaders from over 20 countries, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Jordan’s King Abdullah, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also expected to attend. No Israeli or Hamas officials will participate in the summit.
