Under the fragile Gaza ceasefire, Hamas transferred the first seven Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Monday. The release marks the initial phase of a deal that calls for 20 living hostages to be exchanged for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The handover triggered cheers across Israel, especially in Tel Aviv, as crowds gathered awaiting news. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is slated to arrive in Israel within hours to meet with the hostages’ families and address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, before heading to Egypt for a regional peace summit.
Though the remains of up to 28 deceased hostages may not be returned immediately, international efforts are expected to track them if not included in today’s releases. Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel plans to free around 2,000 Palestinian detainees—1,700 from Gaza and some 250 convicted over attacks on Israelis.
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