By The Associated Press
Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages on Monday as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the Gaza Strip, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians.
The releases came as President Donald Trump was in Israel to celebrate the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, an agreement that he declared had effectively ended the war and opened the door to building a durable peace in the Middle East.
Under the deal, Israel released over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and is to allow a surge of food and aid supplies into famine-stricken Gaza.
Trump will discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans with other leaders in Egypt later Monday.
Here’s the latest:
Iran declines invitation for Gaza summit
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it declined an invitation to attend the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in Egypt, based on its interests as well as U.S. “unilateralistic policy.”
The spokesman for the ministry, Esmail Baghaei, told reporters that the decision came after discussion both inside the ministry and other decision-making bodies in the country. “Positive and negative dimensions of any decision including participation and avoiding participation were calculated and eventually led to a decision that secures betterments and interests of the country.”
Netanyahu pledges that he is ‘committed to this peace’ in Knesset speech
He added: “Today, the Jewish calendar marks the end of two years of war.”
The ceasefire started on Friday and included the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for hostages. The later stages of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire are still being worked out.
UN chief says he is ‘profoundly relieved’
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says he is “profoundly relieved” that the Israeli hostages in Gaza have regained their freedom and will be reunited with their families after the “immense suffering” they have endured.
Guterres in a statement also reiterated his call for the release of the remains of the deceased hostages. The statement was issued from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where world leaders were gathering to throw their weight behind the Gaza ceasefire deal.
“I urge all parties to build on this momentum and to honor their commitments under the ceasefire to end the nightmare in Gaza,” Guterres said. “The United Nations is working to support all efforts to end the conflict in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of civilians.”
Netanyahu won’t attend summit in Egypt
Netanyahu’s office said Monday that he will not travel to Egypt for a summit on the Israel-Hamas war due to a Jewish holiday.
The statement came after Egypt’s presidency said Netanyahu would attend the summit.
The Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah ends the weeklong Sukkot holiday. It was on this holiday, two years ago, that Hamas launched the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that began the Israel-Hamas war. Jewish holidays run on a lunar calendar.
Erdogan will also attend the Gaza summit in Egypt
The Turkish leader, whose government played a key role in brokering the Gaza ceasefire, is expected to deliver a speech and hold bilateral talks with fellow leaders attending the summit, according to a statement from his office.
The summit will be co-chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and bring together leaders from more than 20 countries.
Trump enters Knesset chamber ahead of his speech
Sustained applause and blaring trumpets greeted Trump. The chamber was crowded with lawmakers but also U.S. officials — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense.
Dan Caine, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, was also attending. Trump’s speech was set to begin far later than originally scheduled.
He met beforehand with the families of some of the hostages once held by Hamas in Gaza.
Later on Monday, he was set to fly to Egypt to participate in a summit with world leaders.
Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel arrive in West Bank and Gaza
Israel is freeing more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees on Monday after Hamas released all remaining living hostages held in Gaza under the ceasefire deal.
The buses arrived in Ramallah, in the Israel-occupied West Bank, after leaving Ofer prison. At least one bus also crossed into the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Prisoners Office said.
Egypt says Trump engagement crucial for Gaza ceasefire
Egypt’s foreign minister tells The Associated Press that the success of President Donald Trump’s vision for peace in the region is his continued commitment, including applying pressure on the parties, and “even deployment on the ground” of an international force expected to carry out peacekeeping duties.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Monday it is crucial to ensure that Israel and Hamas fully implement the first phase of the ceasefire deal so that the parties, with international backing, can begin negotiations on the second phase. That “is more difficult, more complicated and we have to keep President Trump engaging. It is very, very important because it is all about his engagement.”
Hamas welcomes Trump’s remarks that the war in Gaza is over
A Hamas spokesman has welcomed Trump’s remarks that the war in Gaza is over.
Writing on the Telegram messaging app, Hazem Kassem urged mediators and the international community to ensure that Israel won’t resume the war.
Trump plans to hail a ‘historic dawn of a new Middle East’
According to excerpts released by the White House, Trump will use his speech to the Knesset to say that, “After so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today, the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace.”
“This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” Trump’s prepared remarks say.
The president frequently diverts from his speech text as written. But his speech to the Israeli parliament is clearly meant to suggest that the ceasefire his administration helped broker could spark a deeper, lasting peace around a volatile region.
Netanyahu will attend the Gaza summit in Egypt
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attending the Gaza summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptian presidency says.
According to Egypt, both Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are attending the summit in the Red Sea resort on Monday.
The summit is co-chaired by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and U.S. President Donald Trump and will be attended by over two dozen world leaders.
Netanyahu’s attendance comes as Trump is attempting to solidify the end of the war between Israel and Hamas. Trump has repeatedly suggested since leaving for Israel on Sunday night that the war is over. But the U.S.-brokered ceasefire could still face challenges.
The Israeli military said it received the 13 hostages from the Red Cross.
The 13 will be transferred to a military base in southern Israel to be reunited with their families. They’ll then be taken by helicopter to Israeli hospitals.
Hamas releases 13 remaining living hostages to Red Cross officials, Israeli military says
Hamas released 13 remaining living hostages to Red Cross officials on Monday, the Israeli military said.
The Israeli military will take custody of the hostages and transport them onward to Israel.
Trump again says Israel’s war with Hamas is over
In the Knesset gallery, where Trump was set to speak, quite a few people in the gallery were wearing red hats that said: “Trump, The Peace President.” At least one person on the parliament’s floor wore such a hat.
Trump spoke briefly to the Israel press before beginning his remarks to the Knesset. Asked if Israeli’s war with Hamas was officially over, he said simply, “Yes.”
The president made similar comments on Air Force One as he was flying to Israel — despite the ceasefire deal still being in the early stages and potentially precarious.
Final preparations underway in Egypt for gathering of world leaders
Final preparations are underway in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh for a gathering of world leaders to show their support for efforts to end the two-year Gaza war.
Trump and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi are co-chairing the “summit for peace” on Monday. They will be joined by several world leaders who are throwing their weight behind the ceasefire agreement.
The summit will give international backing to negotiations on complex issues ahead: disarming Hamas, a postwar government in Gaza, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and a bill for reconstruction.
Trump signs Knesset guestbook with a flourish
The president was welcomed at the Israeli parliament by its speaker, Amir Ohana, who said, “Welcome to Jerusalem. Welcome to the Knesset. We’ve been longing for this day.”
“It’s a great honor,” Trump responded. He then sat at a desk to sign the guestbook with a marker.
The president spent several seconds scribbling, then held up what he wrote. It read: “This is my great honor. A great and beautiful day. A new beginning,” over his scrawled signature.
