Hamas released all hostages through exchange agreements by Oct. 2025.

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As of October 2025, Hamas had not released all hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack. Out of approximately 250 hostages initially captured, 48 remained in Hamas captivity by the two-year anniversary, including the remains of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra. Some hostages were released through negotiated exchanges during temporary ceasefires in November 2023, when 105 hostages (mostly women and children) were freed in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. But the majority of male hostages and soldiers remained captive. The hostage crisis became a major political issue in Israel, with families demanding Netanyahu prioritize their release over military objectives. Hamas used hostage releases as leverage in ceasefire negotiations, offering phased releases tied to Israeli troop withdrawals and prisoner exchanges. The stalemate revealed competing priorities: Netanyahu faced domestic pressure to bring hostages home but also from right-wing coalition partners demanding total military victory. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed American support for hostage recovery on the two-year anniversary, but negotiations repeatedly stalled. The unresolved hostage situation prolonged the conflict and prevented any lasting ceasefire, as Israel insisted on military pressure to force releases while Hamas demanded political concessions first.

Hamas released all hostages through exchange agreements by Oct. 2025.

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