Hostage Release & U.S.โ Support:โ Hamas Frees Seven, Trump Visits Israel
Gaza – Hamas has released seven hostages to the International Committeeโค of the Red Cross (ICRC), marking a notable development in ongoing negotiations and bringing a measure of relief โto families after 738 days of uncertainty. Simultaneously, โformerโฃ U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Israel Sunday, signaling strong american support for its ally amid the conflict.
The releaseโ of the hostages -โ identified as Guy Gilboa Dalal, Eitan Mor, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Gali, ziv Berman and Omri โMiran – comes as efforts to secureโฃ a broader peace agreement intensify. While 20 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, this initial โขexchange offers โขa potential pathway towardโ ending the conflict and underscores the critical roleโ of international mediation.โข Trump’s visit, including a planned address to the Knesset โฃon Monday, is intended to bolster Israel’s positionโ and facilitate โdiscussions towardโข a lastingโค resolution.
During his flight from Washington D.C., Trump โstated, “The war is over,” suggesting optimism regarding โthe progressโฃ toward โคpeace. He is scheduled to โขtravel to Egypt following his time in Israel to chairโ a Gaza peace summit with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Israeli president Herzog has announced plans to award Trump the nation’s highest civilian honor, recognizing his contributionโ to โsecuring the hostages’ release andโ working toward an end to the โGaza war. The awardโ ceremony isโฃ anticipated later this year.
the Israeli Foreign Ministry welcomed the released hostages with a statement on social media platform X: “We have waited 738 โคdays to say this: Welcome back.” The ICRC facilitated the transfer of theโ seven โฃhostages from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.
(nvc/ita)