The U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the two-year Gaza conflict has entered a critical implementation phase, marked by the arrival of President Donald Trump in Israel and the start of the hostage-prisoner exchange.
Hostage Release and Prisoner Exchange:
First Hostages Released: Hamas’s armed wing released the first seven of the estimated 20 surviving Israeli hostages to Red Cross representatives in Gaza City on Monday, as confirmed by the Israeli army.
Identities Confirmed: The released captives were identified by Israel’s foreign ministry on X (formerly Twitter) as Guy Gilboa Dalal, Eitan Mor, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Gali and Ziv Berman (twins), and Omri Miran. The handover was met with celebration at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.
Exchange Terms (Initial Phase): The deal is contingent on both sides adhering to an exchange agreement. The initial stage involves the release of 47 Israeli hostages (living and dead) captured in the October 7, 2023, attack, plus the remains of a soldier killed in 2014, in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans detained by Israel since the war began.
Israeli Expectation: A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that Israel expects all 20 living hostages to be released to the Red Cross “early Monday morning,” ahead of a noon (0900 GMT) deadline.
Prisoner Release Confirmation: Israel’s release of Palestinian prisoners is conditional on confirmation that “all of our hostages set to be released tomorrow are across the border into Israel.”
Deceased Hostages: The Hostages and Missing Families Forum cautioned that the return of all dead hostages is not expected on Monday, stressing that the “struggle is not over” until every last hostage is returned for burial.
Diplomatic Efforts and the Gaza Peace Summit:
President Trump’s Arrival: U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Israel aboard Air Force One, where he was formally greeted at Ben Gurion Airport by Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.
Gaza Peace Summit: Trump is scheduled to co-chair a Gaza peace summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday, alongside his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Summit Goal: The Egyptian president’s office stated the gathering aims “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability.”
Expected Outcome: The Egyptian foreign ministry anticipates a “document ending the war in the Gaza Strip” will be signed during the “historic” meeting. Mediators—the U.S., Egypt, Qatar, and likely Turkey—are expected to sign a guarantee document.
Attendance: More than 20 world leaders are expected to attend, including the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Notably, neither Israel nor Hamas will send representatives.
Contentious Issues and Humanitarian Situation:
Hamas Disarmament: Conflicting reports surround the issue of Hamas disarmament, a core element of the peace deal. A diplomatic source claimed the Islamist movement has agreed to a long-term truce with its weapons “not to be used at all during this period, except in the event of an Israeli attack on Gaza.” However, a Hamas official previously told AFP that the militant group’s disarmament was “out of the question.”
Humanitarian Aid Flow: Over 200 aid trucks, including six diesel fuel trucks and five carrying cooking gas, were unloaded at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday, indicating an increase in humanitarian access.
Return to Gaza City: Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, estimated at over 500,000 by Gaza’s civil defence agency, have poured back into the devastated Gaza City following the ceasefire.
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