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Israel has confirmed that seven hostages held by Hamas have been handed over to the International Red Cross in northern Gaza — the first release under a US-backed ceasefire deal seen as a breakthrough in the two-year war. The agreement also includes provisions for humanitarian aid to reach the famine-hit Gaza Strip and the release of thousands of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
The truce follows the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which was agreed upon by Israel and Hamas last week during indirect talks in Egypt, with Qatar and Turkey acting as mediators.
Hamas said the release of the seven hostages on Monday was part of an exchange that will see 20 Israeli captives freed in return for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli military confirmed that the released hostages are now in its custody but did not disclose their condition.
Following the signing of the first phase of the peace deal, Israeli forces began withdrawing from Gaza City to an agreed “yellow line,” allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to what remains of their homes — much of the city now in ruins. Armed police were seen securing aid convoys and maintaining order in areas vacated by Israeli troops.
Trump is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday aboard Air Force One. He will meet families of hostages and address the Knesset before flying to Egypt to co-chair a global “Summit for Peace” alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The summit aims to solidify international backing for the ceasefire and push for lasting stability in the region.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced that Trump will be honoured with Israel’s highest civilian award — the Presidential Medal of Honour — for his efforts in brokering the deal.
“Through his tireless efforts, President Trump has not only helped bring our loved ones home but has also laid the foundations for a new era in the Middle East built on security, cooperation, and genuine hope for a peaceful future,” Herzog said in a statement. “It will be a great honour for me to present him with the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour.”
The upcoming “Summit for Peace” will bring together leaders from the US, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, the UN, and the European Union. While neither Israel nor Hamas is expected to attend, the Palestinian Authority leader will participate.
The ceasefire, which began on Friday, marks the most significant effort yet to end the two-year conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, the war has claimed around 67,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says roughly half of the dead are women and children. The UN and independent observers consider these figures broadly credible.
About 90 per cent of Gaza’s two million residents have been displaced by the fighting. The latest truce offers the first real glimmer of hope for a region battered by years of war.
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