Hamas has handed over some of its last surviving Israeli hostages to the Israeli authorities, as part of the Gaza peace deal brokered last week.
A key step in ending two years of devastating conflict in Gaza as part of a ceasefire deal pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who landed in Israel to address the parliament, Reuters reported.
Israel’s military announced it had taken custody of the first seven of the twenty surviving hostages, who were transferred out of Gaza by the Red Cross. The reception came as hundreds of cheering people gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.
“I am so excited. I am full of happiness. It’s hard to imagine how I feel at this moment. I didn’t sleep all night,” said Viki Cohen, mother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, as she travelled to Reim, an Israeli military camp where the hostages will be transferred.
The remaining 13 confirmed living hostages, along with the bodies of 26 dead hostages and another two whose fate is unknown, are also expected to be released on Monday, along with nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and convicted prisoners.
“I hope that these images can be the end to this war. We lost friends and relatives, we lost our houses and our city,” said Emad Abu Joudat, 57, a Palestinian father of six from Gaza City, Israel, to Israel, as he watched the handover preparations on his phone.
According to Reuters, the releases are one of the most important parts of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement concluded last week in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where Trump and more than 20 other world leaders will be meeting later on Monday.
Trump landed in Israel shortly after the announced release of the first batch of hostages. He will address the parliament before heading to Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood waiting at the airport as Air Force One taxied in, smiling and talking with the U.S. ambassador.
TVC previously reported that the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has revealed that Hamas and Israel have agreed on the first phase of his plan for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza and an exchange of captives.
Trump announced the groundbreaking development on his official Truth Social platform, saying, “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan.”
“ALL the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line,” he added.
Gaza Peace Deal: Hamas, Isreal To Begin Hostage Exchange Saturday
