Israeli Hostages Released as Trump Addresses Knesset Following hamas Ceasefire Deal – Live Updates
Jerusalem – In a landmark moment following a trump-brokered ceasefire, the first group of israeli hostages held by Hamas began their return home today, as former President Donald Trump addressed the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. The release marks the initial phase of a 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza.
The ceasefire, which went into effect friday, coincided with Israeli troop withdrawals from urban areas of Gaza. As part of the first phase of the agreement, Israel will maintain control of at least 53% of the Gaza Strip.
According to Trump, the release of roughly 20 Israeli hostages believed to be alive, along with the bodies of 28 others, is a “intricate process” and is expected to unfold on Monday or Tuesday. In exchange for the hostages, Israel will release 250 Palestinian prisoners and criminals currently incarcerated, as well as 1,700 Gazans detained during the recent conflict.
the peace plan, outlined in 20 points, envisions a second, more challenging phase requiring Hamas to disarm and relinquish any role in the future governance of Gaza. The ultimate goal is to establish the Gaza Strip as a demilitarized zone, with all “military, terror and offensive infrastructure” destroyed.
A summit is scheduled for Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to finalize the agreement to end the war in Gaza. Over 20 world leaders are expected to attend, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and representatives from France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the U.A.E., and the U.K. The U.S. has expanded the invite list to include attendees from Armenia,azerbaijan,Bahrain,Canada,Cyprus,El Salvador,Greece,Hungary,india,Japan,Kuwait and Spain. Notably, Israel has not been invited to the event.
The implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release is being supported by experts in logistics, security, engineering, and transportation, including U.S.CENTCOM troops deployed to Israel for monitoring purposes.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Sources:
* https://foxnews.com/politics/houthi-rebels-test-us-ceasefire-deadly-strike-cargo-ship
