Israeli military says all living hostages once held by Hamas now back in Israel

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DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas has released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza, as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the Gaza Strip. The 20 were to be reunited with their families and undergo medical checks. Over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel are also to be released as part of the deal. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.

Here’s the latest:

JERUSALEM (AP) — President Trump to hail Gaza truce deal, freeing of hostages as ‘historic dawn of a new Middle East’ in speech to Israeli Knesset.

Trump to tell Knesset that ‘Israel has won all that can be won by force of arms’ and offer ‘hand of friendship’ to Iran.

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.

Israel takes custody of 13 hostages

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.

Trump envoy says he’s thinking of his deceased son as hostages are released

Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration special envoy who played a key role in brokering the ceasefire agreement, says he’s thinking of his adult son, Andrew, who died of an opioid overdose in 2011.

“It’s deeply gratifying to know that so many families will finally have their loved ones home,” Witkoff posted on X of the hostages being released.

“Today, 20 families are spared the unbearable pain of not knowing if they will ever see their loved ones again.”

He added that “even in this moment of relief and happiness, my heart aches for those whose loved ones will not return alive. Bringing their bodies home is a must and an act of dignity and honors their memory forever. I can’t help but feel the presence of my son Andrew at this moment.”

Armored vehicle fires tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians waiting for release of prisoners

An armored vehicle flying an Israeli flag drove up the hill from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank and fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians waiting for the release of some of the 250 prisoners slated for exchange on Monday.

As drones buzzed overhead, the crowd scattered. The tear gas followed the circulation of a flier warning that anyone supporting what it called “terrorist organizations” risked arrest.

Israel’s military did not respond to questions about the flier, which the Associated Press obtained on site.

EU chief von der Leyen celebrates release of hostages

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen celebrated the release of hostages by Hamas and their return to Israel on Monday as a moment of “pure joy for those families” and “relief for the entire world,” she said in a statement.

“It means that a page can be turned. A new chapter can begin,” Von der Leyen said. “The finalisation of the agreement ending the war today in Sharm el-Sheikh will be a historical milestone.”

She said the 27-nation European Union was ready to support peace efforts by the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey as well as reconstruction in Gaza, especially in “support on governance and for the reform of the Palestinian Authority,” she said.

Israel releases first photos of hostages arriving in Israel

Israel released the first photos of the hostages arriving in Israel and meeting Israeli troops.

From initial photos, the hostages appear less gaunt and emaciated than the hostages released in January. Family members and friends watching the releases erupted in cheers and embraced each other, breaking out in sobs at the first photo of their loved ones.

In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, where tens of thousands gathered to watch the releases, a joyful roar erupted from the crowd as the first images of the hostages flashed on the screen.

The Government Press Office released a photo of Gali and Ziv Berman, 28-year-old twins from Kfar Aza, reuniting with each other with expressions of disbelief. According to hostages previously released, the twins were held separately from each other.

Many Israelis see release of hostages as definitive end to war

Many Israelis see the release of all the hostages as a definitive end to the war and a chance to celebrate life.

“I think what you are seeing here, the people that are celebrating in the square, something for me that is very Israeli, to see so many people gathering around to celebrate not the death of our enemies but the life of our people, of Israeli people,” said Gili Roman.

His sister Yarden Roman-Gat was freed from Gaza during the first ceasefire in November 2023 but his sister-in-law Carmel Gat was killed in captivity last year.

Roman said it’s important for people around the world not to define Israel just by the army that’s been fighting in Gaza, but as a country of people who just want to live.

“Israel is when we’re celebrating people coming back alive and that the war is over,” he said.

Hostage forum invites Trump to come to Hostages Square

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a grassroots organization that has led the protest movement to release the hostages held in Gaza, invited Trump to come to Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square as he was landing in Israel.

“President Trump, Hostages Square and hundreds of thousands of people are prepared and ready to welcome you with open arms,” the group said in a statement.

Trump making such an appearance is difficult to imagine.

There are security concerns wherever the president goes and Trump’s trip will take him to Israel and Egypt before returning to Washington without staying overnight, making for a very tight, and tightly controlled, schedule.

Still, the invitation was noteworthy, marking the group’s excitement around the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Trump, Netanyahu share limo ride

Netanyahu climbed into the presidential vehicle beside Trump before the motorcade rolled away from the airport.

Trump could be seen with his arm against the limo’s window, and appeared to have a piece of paper in his hand, shortly before the line of vehicles sped away.

Trump was planning to meet with hostage families at the Knesset, or Israel’s parliament, which Trump was also set to address.

Trump greeted on the tarmac

The president emerged from the plane, pumped his fist and carefully walked down the stairs of Air Force One wearing a suit and red tie.

The military band began to play as Trump was greeted by Herzog and then Netanyahu.

There was cheering and clapping in Hostages Square as Trump was seen coming down the steps.

Trump exchanged kisses with his daughter, Ivanka, then lingered speaking to U.S. and Israeli officials, though what exactly was being said couldn’t be heard.

UN says boost in humanitarian aid to Gaza is underway

The top U.N. humanitarian official says that a scale-up of humanitarian aid to Gaza is underway.

Tom Feltcher said Monday that the U.N. and its partners distributed hundreds of thousands of hot meals and bread bundles in southern and northern Gaza. He also said cooking gas entered the strip for the first time in months.

“This is just beginning,” he wrote on social media after his arrival to Egypt’s resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to attend an international summit on Gaza.

PHOTO- ASSOCIATED PRESS