The Return of Hostages and the Significance of the Ceasefire
A convoy carrying four Israeli hostages, who had been held in Gaza, has crossed the border back to their homeland. The bodies were transported in coffins, escorted by an IDF unit featuring armored cars bearing the Star of David. This event took place on Monday night, with the remains being taken to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification.
Hamas confirmed that it would return four bodies on Monday, naming Daniel Peretz, Yossi Sharabi, Guy Illouz, and Bipin Joshi for the grim handover. Israel is expected to conduct DNA analysis to confirm the identities of those who have lost their lives.
The heartbreaking return of these individuals came after Hamas released 20 living hostages on Monday, marking the first phase of a historic peace deal initiated by Donald Trump. During the negotiations, it was reported that Hamas had been holding the remains of 28 captives who had perished since October 7, 2023.
Trump met with families of hostages at Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, where he praised the historic truce between Israel and Hamas to end the war that has claimed more than 70,000 lives. He later traveled to Egypt, where he was joined by leaders from around the world to sign the ceasefire agreement brokered by his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
‘This took 3,000 years to get to this point. Can you believe it? And it’s going to hold up too. It’s going to hold up,’ Trump said while signing the document. The exact content of the document remains unclear.
Trump was flanked by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, along with Gulf nation leaders in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. However, Hamas and Israeli leaders were absent from the signing in Egypt. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined the invitation, citing a Jewish holiday as the reason for his absence.
The president hailed the signing as a turning point in the region for peace. ‘This is the day that people across this region and around the world have been working, striving, hoping, and praying for,’ Trump added. ‘They have done things over the last month that I think were really unthinkable. Nobody thought this could happen. With the historic agreement we have just signed, those prayers of millions have finally been answered.’
The document was also signed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Trump noted that the agreement constructs the groundwork for the future of the Gaza region.
During his speech in Israel’s parliament, known as the Knesset, Trump expressed hope that the signing would officially end the decades-long conflict between Israel and Gaza. ‘You’ve won,’ Trump told Israeli politicians. ‘Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.’
Trump promised to help rebuild Gaza and urged Palestinians to ‘turn forever from the path of terror and violence.’ ‘After tremendous pain and death and hardship,’ he said, ‘now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down.’ He even made a gesture to Iran, where he bombed three nuclear sites during the country’s brief war with Israel earlier this year, by saying ‘the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.’
Trump arrived in Egypt hours late because speeches at the Knesset continued longer than expected. ‘They might not be there by the time I get there, but we´ll give it a shot,’ Trump joked after needling Israeli leaders for talking so much.
At the Knesset, Trump spoke with some of the hostages’ families. ‘Your name will be remembered to generations,’ a woman told him. Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him standing ovation after standing ovation. Some people in the audience wore red hats that resembled his ‘Make America Great Again’ caps, although these versions said ‘Trump, The Peace President.’
Netanyahu hailed Trump as ‘the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,’ and he promised to work with him going forward. ‘Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,’ he said. ‘And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.’
Trump, in an unexpected detour during his speech, called on the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu, whom he described as ‘one of the greatest’ wartime leaders. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, although several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.
The moment remains fragile, with Israel and Hamas still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan. The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final hostages held by Hamas; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities.
Trump has said there’s a window to reshape the region and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. ‘The war is over, OK?’ Trump told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One. ‘I think people are tired of it,’ he said, emphasizing that he believed the ceasefire would hold because of that.
He said the chance of peace was enabled by his Republican administration’s support of Israel’s decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The White House said momentum is also building because Arab and Muslim states are demonstrating a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.
In February, Trump had predicted that Gaza could be redeveloped into what he called ‘the Riviera of the Middle East.’ But on Sunday aboard Air Force One, he was more circumspect. ‘I don’t know about the Riviera for a while,’ Trump said. ‘It’s blasted. This is like a demolition site.’ But he said he hoped to one day visit the territory. ‘I’d like to put my feet on it, at least,’ he said.
The sides have not agreed on Gaza’s postwar governance, the territory’s reconstruction, and Israel’s demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.
Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and the territory’s roughly 2 million residents continue to struggle in desperate conditions. Under the deal, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help ease the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.
Roughly 200 U.S. troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations, and private-sector players.
