President Donald Trump will host Israeli hostages who were released last month following the ceasefire deal with Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.
The greeting at the White House will come Thursday.
Trump invited all 20 living hostages released Oct. 13 under the ceasefire agreement his administration brokered, The Times of Israel reported Friday. The invitation extends to their families, though it is not known whether all have accepted.
He has met several times with other released hostages and their families. Trump has also met with the loved ones of hostages who remained in captivity leading up to the ceasefire deal.
The ceasefire agreement that secured the October release also required Hamas to return the bodies of the 24 remaining hostages, all deceased, the Times reported. As of Friday, the remains of three hostages are still in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has claimed it has been unable to recover them because they are buried under rubble from Israel's military operations. Israel has accused Hamas of stalling and has threatened to resume military operations or restrict humanitarian aid if the remains are not returned.
Hostages numbering 254 were taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, according to the State Department. More than 1,200 people were killed that day, including 46 Americans. Of the total hostages taken, 168 have been returned alive, according to multiple media outlets.
The ceasefire deal was intended as the first stage of a long-term plan.
The plan called for Hamas' disarmament and demilitarization in the Gaza Strip and for the establishment of a technocratic government in Gaza that would not threaten Israel's security. Efforts to advance that plan are ongoing, though Hamas has refused to disarm.
The Trump administration also helped secure a hostage-for-ceasefire deal last January that resulted in the release of 35 living Israeli hostages and the return of eight slain hostages before the deal collapsed, the Times reported.
In each exchange, Israel has released Palestinian security prisoners. In the most recent agreement, Israel freed 250 prisoners serving life sentences and roughly 1,700 detainees arrested in Gaza during the war, according to the Times.
Newsmax reached out to the White House for comment.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.