TEL AVIV — Hundreds of people gathered on Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square erupted in joy, tears and song as news broke that Hamas had handed over the first hostages to be released on Monday after two years of captivity in Gaza.

Many had come at sunrise, carrying pictures of the hostages and waving Israeli flags bearing a yellow ribbon, a symbol of the movement calling for the hostages’ release.

Noga, who wore a badge that read “Last day”, shared her pain and joy with AFP.

“I’m torn between emotion and sadness for those who won’t be coming back,” she says.

Hamas and its militant allies took hostage 251 people hostage into Gaza during the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack.

Many of them were released in earlier truces, but 47 people seized on October 7 remained in Gaza. Only 20 of them are

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