Hamas begins releasing Israeli hostages as Trump heads to Israel
- Hamas has released the first group of Israeli hostages, a crucial step in ending the two-year conflict in Gaza, as part of a ceasefire deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Israel's military confirmed receiving seven of the 20 surviving hostages, transferred out of Gaza by the Red Cross, with celebrations occurring in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square.
- The agreement anticipates the release of the remaining 13 confirmed living hostages, 26 bodies, and two whose fate is unknown, alongside nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and convicted prisoners.
- The releases are a key component of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, concluded last week in Sharm el-Sheikh, where Donald Trump and other world leaders are set to meet.
- The two-year conflict has devastated Gaza, displacing nearly all its population and causing a humanitarian crisis, while also reshaping the Middle East's geopolitical landscape.