Tel Aviv, 9 October 2025 (dpa/MIA) - The families of the hostages held by Palestinian militant group Hamas have welcomed a newly signed agreement to secure their return, describing the development as an "important and meaningful progress" toward bringing all captives home.

In a statement on X, the Hostages Families Forum said the accord would allow living hostages to reunite with their families and deceased captives to be returned for proper burial in Israel.

"This represents important and meaningful progress toward bringing everyone home, but our struggle is not over and will not end until the last hostage returns," the forum said.

In Washington on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his peace plan. The families expressed gratitude to Trump and his team, citing their "leadership and determination" in reaching what they described as a historic breakthrough.

Some 48 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, and according to Israeli reports, 20 of them are still alive.

The forum emphasized that the Israeli government must convene immediately to approve the agreement, warning that any delay could exact a heavy toll on the hostages and Israeli soldiers.

"Our moral and national obligation is to bring them all home—both the living and the deceased," the statement said. "Their return is essential to the healing and recovery of Israeli society as a whole. We will not rest until the last hostage comes home."

Photo: dpa