American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander has been freed by Hamas and handed over to Israeli forces.
The 21-year-old was driven to the border by the Red Cross, before the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) took him into Israeli territory for medical checks and to be reunited with his family.
Mr Alexander, who was serving with the IDF when he was captured at a military base during Hamas's October 7 attack, is the first hostage to be released since late February, and has spent more than 580 days in captivity.
Mr Alexander's mother arrived from the United States ahead of his release and was taken to the Re'im military base in southern Israel, near the Gaza border, to be reunited with him.
Yael Alexander travelled to Israel with the Trump administration's hostage envoy, Adam Boehler.
The White House's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was also at Re'im, in a sign of the interest any influence of the White House in his case
Hamas agreed to release him as a gesture of goodwill, after negotiations with Israel for a ceasefire in Gaza stalled for months.
"We affirm that serious and responsible negotiations achieve results in the release of prisoners," Hamas said in a statement.
"However, continuing the aggression prolongs their suffering and may kill them.
"We affirm the movement's readiness to immediately begin negotiations to reach a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of the occupation army, the end of the siege, a prisoner exchange, and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahu released a video statement shortly after Mr Alexander returned to Israel.
"This is a very emotional moment, Edan Alexander has returned home," Mr Netanyahu said.
"We hug him and we hug his family.
"This was achieved thanks to our military pressure and the political pressure exerted by President Trump. This is a winning combination."
Mr Netanyahu added that he spoke to the US president earlier, and his office confirmed that he would dispatch negotiators to Qatar for further ceasefire negotiations.
Families gather in Tel Aviv to call for more hostages to be released
Families of other hostages gathered in Hostage Square, in central Tel Aviv, ahead of Mr Alexander's release.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is still in Gaza, was scathing of the Netanyahu Government's handling of the situation.
"Netanyahu, I won't let you kill my son," she told the crowd.
"The people of Israel will not let you kill our loved ones.
"The people of Israel will not forgive you for these crimes of abandonment."
Last week's announcement by the prime minister of an expansion of the IDF's military offensive in Gaza has fuelled fear among hostage families.
"The fate of the Israeli hostages is linked with the fate the Gazans," Udi Goren told the ABC.
His cousin, Tal Haimi, was killed on October 7, 2023 and his body taken into Gaza.
"It doesn't matter who you root for, it doesn't matter if you're pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian," Mr Goren said.
"If you care about people, about human lives, you need to root for bringing all the hostages back because that is the end of the war and the end to the suffering in Gaza and the end of suffering in Israel.
"I think both people deserve to see this happen."
Israeli-Australian Erez Cohen was also in Hostage Square to show his support for the families.
His relative, Dror Or, was among those taken hostage on October 7 2023 by Hamas.
The body of Mr Or's wife was found days later, and two of his children were freed from captivity in November 2023.
"The war just keeps going and it's very easy to lose hope," he said.
He was highly critical of Prime Minister Netanyahu, accusing him of putting politics ahead of securing the release of hostages.
"I don't think they've done enough because they have a strong opposition within his government that refused any deal," Mr Cohen said.
"The political situation is complicated for him, so he's trying to resist it, but really it's very hard to think politically when you have people dying there in those horrible conditions and we can still save them."
Netanyahu minister demands 'decisive attack' on Gaza
One of the most vocal opponents of any ceasefire within Mr Netanyahu's coalition cabinet is the controversial national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
"Mr. Prime Minister, we must not stop," the far-right politician said at a press conference in the Israeli Knesset on Monday.
"President Trump had already given you the backing, he had already told you that the gates of hell can open on Gaza.
"And we are procrastinating, procrastinating and missing out. We must stop missing out, we must stop procrastinating.
"We must launch a decisive attack, occupy all of the Gaza Strip and encourage voluntary migration of Gazans to countries around the world."
Israeli president insists aid must bypass Hamas
Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned Gaza is on the brink of famine, after more than two months of Israel's total aid blockade of the strip.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said his country was proposing the use of independent contractors to distribute supplies in Gaza, because Hamas could not be trusted.
"I'm not indifferent to [the Palestinians] pain, but I say the reality is that they are controlled out there in Gaza by Hamas, in every people's homes, their missiles and weapons and ammunition, which is all aimed against our children," he said in a press conference in Berlin.
"So we must change the reality and bring a new reality where there will be peace and coexistence."
The German President Frank-Walter Steinmeir was standing alongside him, and demanded an immediate resumption of aid to Gaza.
