Hamas militants have reportedly announced that they will begin releasing Israeli hostages starting Monday morning. The announcement follows the partial withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from Gaza on Friday, under a peace plan brokered by US President Donald Trump. Speaking to AFP, Hamas official Osama Hamdan said, “According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange will begin from Monday morning, and there are no new changes in this matter.”
Concerns remain over whether Hamas will be able to recover the bodies of hostages who died in captivity. The deadline for returning the bodies of 28 individuals who perished while held by Hamas under Trump’s ceasefire agreement expires at noon tomorrow. President Trump acknowledged that some of the bodies are being recovered, calling the situation a tragedy. As part of the first phase of the peace plan, Hamas is expected to return the 28 bodies along with 20 live hostages by tomorrow noon local time. Failure to meet this deadline could complicate the next phase of the peace plan and exacerbate the grief of families seeking closure and the opportunity to bury their loved ones.
So far, 48 Israeli hostages have agreed to be released, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. A 72-hour timeframe has been set for the completion of their release. Under the terms of Trump’s deal, Hamas is set to receive roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for freeing all remaining hostages. As part of this arrangement, Israeli forces will withdraw from most of Gaza, although they currently maintain control over 53 percent of the territory. Efforts are ongoing to locate some of the hostages who died in captivity. A special mission has been established, including representatives from Israel, the US, Egypt, and Qatar, to find the missing deceased hostages. The international community is closely watching developments as President Trump prepares to travel to the Middle East to announce the peace agreement.
Hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid are scheduled to enter Gaza in coordination with the ceasefire. The decision to initiate the hostage exchange is expected to be made later this evening. Following his arrival in Tel Aviv from Egypt, President Trump is set to address the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, before meeting the freed prisoners.
Trump to address Israeli Parliament
Trump’s involvement in the peace process has been widely praised in Israel, including by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During his previous visit to the region, Trump had lifted the blockade on Syria, a move credited with reducing tensions. Compared to previous ceasefires, the current period has seen fewer major conflicts in Gaza, reflecting the impact of international coordination and diplomatic engagement.
Before meeting the released hostages, Trump is expected to deliver a historic address to the Knesset in Jerusalem on Monday. Following this, he will travel to Egypt to participate in a summit on Gaza with global leaders. Approximately 200 US troops from the Central Command have been deployed to Israel to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces, facilitate humanitarian aid delivery, and coordinate peacekeeping efforts with Arab and Muslim countries.
President Trump announced on Wednesday night that both Israel and Hamas had accepted the “first phase” of his peace plan. In preparation, he traveled to Egypt to meet with leaders from Britain, Germany, France, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Indonesia to discuss Gaza’s future. The international community now awaits the next steps, hoping the delicate prisoner exchange and humanitarian efforts will pave the way for a lasting peace.
