Following the landmark ceasefire and hostage exchange deal between Hamas and Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Tel Aviv early Monday, declaring, \u201cThe war is over.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump was greeted on the tarmac by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before heading to a series of meetings that include a gathering with families of released hostages and an address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.<\/p>\n
Later today, Trump will travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to co-chair the Peace Summit alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The summit will bring together more than 20 world leaders \u2014 including T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan, UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, France\u2019s President Emmanuel Macron, and Jordan\u2019s King Abdullah II \u2014 to give the Gaza<\/a> peace framework its final form.<\/p>\n The Israeli government confirmed that the first seven hostages released by Hamas have been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and are now safely in Israeli custody.<\/p>\n Hamas had pledged to release 20 surviving hostages as part of the first phase of the exchange deal, with seven released so far. Their medical conditions have not yet been disclosed.<\/p>\n Under the terms of the agreement, Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in return.<\/p>\n Across Israel, thousands gathered in public squares and synagogues to watch the emotional moment live on giant screens as the ICRC confirmed the transfer.<\/p>\n The Red Cross stated that it has launched a \u201cmulti-phase operation\u201d to oversee both the release of hostages in Gaza and the transfer of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.<\/p>\n German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told Deutschlandfunk Radio that several countries \u2014 including Egypt, Qatar, and T\u00fcrkiye \u2014 are pressuring Hamas to disarm as part of broader peace efforts.<\/p>\n \u201cNone of these countries want Hamas to continue its activities. They want disarmament, and that\u2019s why we have a strong plan of pressure. Without it, this process wouldn\u2019t work,\u201d Wadephul said.<\/p>\n The Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit, co-chaired by Trump and Sisi, is expected to begin later today after the completion of the hostage transfer phase.<\/p>\n The meeting will be attended by a wide range of global leaders, including:<\/p>\n President Erdo\u011fan (T\u00fcrkiye), President Macron (France), Prime Minister Keir Starmer (UK), Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez (Spain), Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (Italy), Prime Minister Mark Carney (Canada), King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (Bahrain), Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif (Pakistan) and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.<\/p>\n German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also expected to participate. However, neither Israel nor Hamas will be directly represented at the summit, and Iran declined its invitation.<\/p>\n According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the meeting \u2014 described as \u201chistoric\u201d \u2014 aims to produce \u201ca document formally ending the war in Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n Diplomatic sources told AFP that the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and possibly T\u00fcrkiye will sign a guarantee agreement ensuring the implementation of the peace terms.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s visit to Israel marks the beginning of what the White House has described as a \u201cnew chapter for the Middle East.\u201d<\/p>\n Following his address at the Knesset, Trump is expected to meet released hostages and their families, before departing for Egypt at 1 p.m. local time.<\/p>\n The Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit will conclude with the signing of a Gaza peace accord, setting the stage for the next phase of reconstruction and normalization in the region.First Hostages Freed Under Gaza Truce<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Diplomatic Pressure on Hamas to Disarm<\/strong><\/h2>\n
World Leaders Gather for Historic Summit<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A New Phase for the Middle East<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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