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.
President Donald Trump, addressing the Israeli Knesset, urged Israel to work toward peace following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal, an agreement that he declared had effectively ended the Israel-Hamas war and opened the door to building a more stable Middle East.
Under the deal, Israel released over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and promised to allow a surge of food and aid supplies into famine-stricken Gaza.
Trump arrived in Egypt later Monday for a global summit on Gaza’s future. More than two dozen countries are expected at the meeting, which Trump is hosting along with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited but declined, with his office saying it was too close to a Jewish holiday.
Here’s the latest:
Egyptian leader praises Trump as ‘only one’ who can bring peace to the region
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s comments come during a meeting with Trump. The leaders are co-chairing a summit on postwar Gaza in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
El-Sissi urged Trump to support a Gaza reconstruction conference Egypt is planning to host next month.
El-Sissi, whose government has served as a key mediator in ceasefire talks, also said Egypt is working to ensure that bodies of hostages in Gaza are found and handed over to Israel, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Trump praises el-Sissi on lack of crime
As he sat alongside the Egyptian leader, Trump returned to one of his favorite topics to discuss: crime.
During an impromptu bilateral meeting, Trump called el-Sissi “very powerful” and noted that there is “no crime” in Egypt.
“They have very little crime, you know. Because they don’t play games,” Trump said, adding: “Because they don’t play games like we do in the United States, with governors that have no idea what they’re doing.”
Later, Trump again remarked on the crime levels in Egypt and said el-Sissi “puts it out very quickly.”
“Some people think that’s not nice, but I think it’s great because people don’t want to be mugged and smashed, and they don’t want to be stupid people,” Trump said.
Egypt, home to over 115 million people, does face crime, particularly the harassment of women. However, its police use heavy-handed tactics, including torture, human rights activists have said.
Witkoff: ‘We’re dug in’
Trump’s lead Middle East negotiator predicted a long presence by the U.S. in the region following the ceasefire deal.
“We’re dug in,” said Witkoff, as Trump met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi in Sharm El-Sheikh. “We’ll be here quite a bit. That’s at the direction of the president.”
Witkoff also praised Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, saying: “Jared is remarkable to work with.”
“The minute we inked the deal, Jared and I were already working on the implementation side,” Witkoff added.
Tony Blair, ex-UK prime minister, joins the summit on Gaza
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who Trump has suggested would play a key role in governing postwar Gaza, is attending a summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Blair was met by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi upon his arrival to the venue, according to the Egyptian presidency.
Under Trump’s plan for Gaza, Blair would potentially lead a transitional authority that would run the Palestinian enclave. The proposed body would combine international expertise, technocrats, U.N. officials and Palestinian representatives, and would function under a U.N. mandate.
Trump lands in Egypt
Trump has arrived in Egypt for a summit with world leaders on Gaza.
Air Force One, escorted by Egyptian fighter jets, touched down at Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport. Trump is planning to attend what the White House has billed as a signing ceremony, helping to solidify a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.
The flight followed Trump spending hours in Israel, where he met with relatives of hostages and gave a lengthy speech before parliament. Trump has called on Israel and the Arab world to seize on a U.S.-backed ceasefire as a means of promoting a larger peace around the Middle East.
Erdogan’s diplomatic push led to Netanyahu’s absence at the summit, Turkish official says
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched a diplomatic initiative to prevent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from attending a summit in Egypt on Monday aimed at cementing the ceasefire in Gaza, according to a Turkish government official.
The official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations, said Netanyahu ultimately decided not to participate after Turkey’s effort gained support from several other nations.
Netanyahu’s office announced that he would not attend the summit, citing a Jewish holiday.
The Turkish official declined to confirm media reports claiming Erdogan’s plane circled above the Red Sea as the president threatened to boycott the meeting, and that it only landed once it was clear Netanyahu would not be present.
— By Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey
Russia supports the Gaza ceasefire
Russia’s top diplomat on Monday expressed support for the full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said “we very much hope that everything that has been agreed upon will be fulfilled.”
At the same time, he noted the importance to develop a plan for creating a Palestinian state in the future.
Lavrov added that Moscow will be ready to join efforts to support any agreements if those involved ask for its assistance.
Hamas says it will release the bodies of 4 of the 28 deceased hostages later Monday
It was not immediately clear when the remaining 24 bodies would be sent back to Israel.
The families of the deceased captives have demanded the bodies be returned as part of the current ceasefire deal.
Trump leaving Israel for Egypt
After a lengthy speech to Israel’s parliament, Trump boarded Air Force One for a flight to Egypt, where he will attend a summit with many world leaders on Gaza.
On the tarmac, the president bid farewell to Netanyahu and his wife.
The Israeli prime minister was invited to the summit, but declined because it was too close to the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.
Trump then walked to the top of the steps and pumped his fist while he pointed at someone, likely Netanyahu. He said, “Great job, Bibi, great job,” before stepping inside.
Trump’s plane will head to Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport for what the White House has billed as a “ Summit for Peace.”
A hostage’s father fulfills a vow and stands up from wheelchair to hug his son
The father of one of the hostages who has spent years in a wheelchair after a car accident and stroke made a promise: when his son was released from captivity in Gaza, he would stand to welcome him home.
On Monday, in footage shown on Israeli media, family members sobbed as they helped Tal Kupershtein stand for a few minutes to hug his son, Bar, after he was released from two years in captivity in Gaza.
Tal Kupershtein also worked with a physical therapist to partially regain his ability to speak, so that he could advocate for his son, he said.
Starmer says UK ready to assist in Gaza ceasefire and removing Hamas weapons
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer says that his country is ready to assist in monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza, offering the U.K.’s experience in Northern Ireland to help in the decommissioning of Hamas’ military capability.
Speaking at a summit in Egypt, Starmer said Britain was read to “play its full part” in ensuring that the current ceasefire results in a lasting peace.
“We stand ready in relation to monitoring the ceasefire and decommissioning Hamas capability and weaponry, and that’s drawing on our experience in Northern Ireland and the IRA, which we dealt with in particular in relation to decommissioning,” he said in a joint appearance with the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
German leader hopes Trump can now use his influence to end war in Ukraine
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he hopes U.S. President Donald Trump will bring to bear the same influence on Russia’s government to end the war in Ukraine as he did on players in the Middle East to secure an end to fighting in Gaza.
Merz said he wants to use the opportunity offered by Monday’s summit in Egypt to discuss again with Trump “what we can do together to end that war,” which has been going on for 3 ½ years.
Merz added: “From this place, the signal goes out that if the world community stands together, it is possible. But it must not just be possible in this place – it must also be possible in other regions of the world, and for us Europeans this war in Europe is the biggest threat to our freedom.”
An Egyptian official says 154 Palestinian prisoners who were released and deported by Israel arrived in Egypt at the Rafah crossing with Gaza.
The freed prisoners were to be sent to third countries as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, said the official, who has direct knowledge of the deal’s implementation. He spoke on condition of anonymity because has not authorized to brief the media.
The prisoners were among more than 1,900 Palestinians being freed by Israel in exchange for Hamas’ release of its remaining hostages.
The president even waded into Israeli domestic politics, surprisingly urging the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu on corruption charges.
“That was not in the speech as you probably know,” Trump joked of his prepared remarks. He added to Netanyahu, “You are a very popular man. You know why? Because you know how to win.”
Netanyahu became the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to be indicted when he was charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases after yearslong investigations accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters.
But Trump declared, “Whether we like it or not, this has been one of the greatest wartime presidents ... and cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about that.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who traveled to Egypt to participate in a summit of world leaders aimed at solidifying the end of the war in Gaza Monday, informed Egyptian and U.S. officials that he would withdraw from the summit if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated, the state-run Iraqi News Agency reported.
Egypt’s presidency initially said Netanyahu would attend the summit, but Netanyahu’s office said Monday that he would not attend due to a Jewish holiday. The summit in Sharm el-Sheikh is co-chaired by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and U.S. President Donald Trump and will include around two dozen world leaders.
The president concluded his rambling speech to the Knesset after a bit more than an hour.
His address was so lengthy that even after Trump said, “In closing” he continued for several more minutes.
Trump is still planning to head to Egypt for a summit later Tuesday featuring the leaders of many countries – though his trip is now hours behind schedule.
Trump’s speech to Israel’s parliament was preceded by lengthy speeches from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Knesset speaker and the opposition leader.
Trump was mid-speech more than an hour after he was due to arrive in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss peace in the Middle East with other world leaders.
“I’ll be going there. I’ll be quite late,” Trump joked. “They might not be there by the time I get there but we’ll give it a shot.”
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank rejoiced as prisoners released in an exchange with Israel left Ofer Prison and arrived in Beitunia.
Waving flags and wearing keffiyehs, hundreds gathered outside the Ramallah Palace of Culture to greet them. Reports by human rights groups detailing conditions in Israeli detention have made Palestinian prisoners enduring symbols of their people’s struggle.
“It was an indescribable journey of suffering — hunger, unfair treatment, oppression, torture and curses — more than anything you could imagine,” said Kamal Abu Shanab, a 51-year-old Fatah member from Tulkarem.
His face gaunt and his head shaved, Abu Shanab’s family said they barely recognized him. He said he lost 139 pounds (59 kilograms) during 18 1/2 years in prison. Most prisoners were serving long sentences for their involvement in deadly attacks against Israelis.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says the bodies of 60 Palestinians have been recovered from under the rubble of destroyed buildings and brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours.
That brought the number of recovered bodies to 200 in the past four days since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect and Israeli troops pulled back from some parts of Gaza.
The ministry says many dead are still under the rubble, particularly in areas inaccessible to first responders.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza killed more than 67,800 Palestinians, according to the health ministry. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants but says around half of the dead were women and children.
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.”
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.
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’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.
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-Sissi, and bring together leaders from more than 20 countries.
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.
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’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.”
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.”