Hamas and Israel Begin Prisoner and Hostage Swap

Hamas will release all surviving hostages on Monday in a major prisoner exchange with Israel. The deal coincides with US President Donald Trump’s arrival in the region for a high-stakes peace summit. Trump declared the war “over” as he prepared to celebrate his role in brokering last week’s ceasefire.

The agreement stipulates that Hamas hands over the remaining hostages in return for Israel freeing approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees. An Israeli spokesperson confirmed expectations for all 20 living hostages to be transferred to the Red Cross early Monday.

Trump expressed confidence in the deal’s durability while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. He dismissed concerns about the ceasefire collapsing, stating, “I think it’s going to hold.” The US president emphatically added, “The war is over. Okay? You understand that?”

Finalizing the Hostage-Prisoner Swap

Negotiators worked through Sunday to finalize the exchange details. Hamas sources indicated the group was pushing for Israel to include seven senior Palestinian leaders on the release list, a point of previous contention. Despite last-minute discussions, the militant group reported completing all preparations to hand over the living hostages.

As detailed in the complete version, there are several key factors to consider.

According to the terms, Hamas is to release all 47 remaining hostages from the October 2023 attack. This group includes both living and deceased individuals. The militant group is also expected to return the remains of a soldier killed in a 2014 conflict. In exchange, Israel will release 250 security detainees, many convicted of killing Israelis, and about 1,700 individuals detained in Gaza during the war.

Pathway to a Broader Peace

Following his Israel visit, where he will meet hostage families and address parliament, Trump travels to Egypt. There, he and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will co-host a summit with over twenty world leaders. The gathering aims to build support for Trump’s broader plan to end the Gaza conflict and advance Middle East peace.

The US president asserted he has “guarantees” from involved parties for the initial and future phases of his roadmap. He expressed confidence that neither side would want to disappoint him. The plan proposes a new governing body for Gaza and a partial Israeli withdrawal, to be replaced by a multinational force. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has resulted in a significant death toll, with UN-verified figures reporting over 67,000 fatalities, a majority being women and children.