UN chief welcomes release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza

By Merve Berker

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday welcomed the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and urged all parties to adhere to ceasefire commitments.

“I very much welcome the release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza,” Guterres said in a statement from Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh.

He expressed relief that the hostages “have regained their freedom and will be soon reunited with their loved ones after the immense suffering they have endured.”

Reiterating his earlier call for the release of the remains of those who died while in captivity, the UN chief urged all parties to “build on this momentum and to honor their commitments under the ceasefire to end the nightmare in Gaza.”

He emphasized that the UN “is working to support all efforts to end the conflict in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of civilians.”

Guterres’ remarks come amid an ongoing ceasefire agreement brokered between the parties to allow for humanitarian relief and hostage exchanges in the Gaza Strip.

The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect on Friday under US President Donald Trump’s plan to end a two-year Israeli war on the enclave.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 67,800 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, leaving the enclave largely uninhabitable.