First Israeli hostages released, Trump says Gaza war ‘is over’
Israeli hostages held in Gaza for two years are being freed as a fragile ceasefire continues.
Source: Fox News
The release of Israeli hostages that have been held in Gaza for two years has begun, with 20 survivors to be freed, followed by the handover of 28 others – 26 dead and two whose fate is unknown.
Their journey to freedom began at 8am (4pm AEDT) from the Netzarim corridor and is expected to continue until at 10am (6pm AEDT) in Gaza’s Khan Younis.
Reuters reported shortly before 4pm (AEDT) that vehicles marked with the logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which are expected to carry released Palestinian prisoners and detainees, were seen on the move in Khan Younis.
Shortly after, Israeli media confirmed the first seven hostages had been released.
US President Donald Trump is expected to greet some of the hostages before making a speech in Israel’s parliament as the fragile Gaza ceasefire he helped to broker enters a fourth day.
He was on his way from the US earlier on Wednesday, declaring aboard Air Force One that the war in Gaza had ended and the Middle East was going to “normalise” with the hostage release.
“The war is over, you understand that?” he said.
“I am good at solving wars. I’m good at making peace.”
Asked about prospects for the region, Trump said, “I think it’s going to normalise”.
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A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day as the sun rose on Monday ahead of the expected release of the hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
By 5am local time (1pm AEDT), a crowd had gathered at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
“The square awaits the hostages,” the Hostages and Missing Families forum wrote on a post on X, with an image of dozens of people seated in front of a large screen that will broadcast news of the Israeli hostages due to be freed from Gaza.
There were wild cheers from the assembled crowd at confirmation of the first seven hostages’ release.
Thousands of Palestinians continued to travel north towards Gaza City, the focus of Israeli attacks over the past two months, hopeful the ceasefire would bring an end to the war.
“Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path. A path of building, a path of healing, and I hope – a path of uniting hearts,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement.
The optimism was shared broadly.
“There is a lot of joy among the people,” said Abdou Abu Seada, a resident of Gaza, who added that the joy was tempered by exhaustion after two years of war that has destroyed much of Gaza and led to the deaths of tens of thousands of its residents.
Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Israel expected hostages to start being released on Monday.
The 20 living hostages are expected to be released together. That will be followed by the handover of the bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages.
Netanyahu and his wife Sara, have written personal notes for the returning hostages.
“On behalf of the entire people of Israel — welcome back! We waited for you, we embrace you,” they wrote.
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The note is part of a reception kit the hostages will receive that also includes clothing and personal items, a laptop, a mobile phone, and a tablet, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Trump will arrive in Israel later on Monday to greet the hostages and then speak at the Knesset. He will be only the fourth US president to address the Israeli Parliament, following Jimmy Carter in 1979, Bill Clinton in 1994 and George W Bush in 2008.
He will then travel to Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt for a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza conflict.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will be at the summit.
The US, along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediated what has been described as a first-phase agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners and detainees by Israel.
The Israel Prison Service said it had transferred some Palestinian prisoners to other facilities ahead of their expected release.
The Israeli Ministry of Justice has released the names of 250 Palestinians, convicted of murder and other serious crimes, who are to be freed under the deal.
Israel will also release 1700 Palestinians who have been detained in Gaza since October 7, 2023, and 22 Palestinian minors, along with the bodies of 360 militants.
Palestinians returning to northern Gaza have described widespread devastation, and rescue workers warned there could be unexploded ordnance and bombs in the area.
Amjad Al Shawa, who heads a Palestinian organisation coordinating with aid groups, estimated 300,000 tents were needed to temporarily house 1.5 million displaced Gazans.
“We couldn’t believe the destruction we have seen,” Rami Mohammad-Ali, 37, said by phone after walking 15 kilometres with his son from Deir Al Balah to Gaza City.
“We are joyful to return to Gaza [City], but at the same time we have bitter feelings about the destruction,” he said.
Meanwhile, Israeli critics of Netanyahu, including hostages’ families, accuse him of deliberately prolonging the conflict to placate his far-right government coalition partners, whose backing is crucial to his political survival.
The International Criminal Court last year issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, which Israel denies.
-with AAP
