Hamas has released seven surviving Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement between the militant group and Israel.
According to the Israeli military, a Red Cross convoy entered Gaza early Monday to retrieve the first group of hostages, marking a significant step in the truce deal aimed at ending months of conflict in the region.
The handover, conducted at a designated meeting point in northern Gaza, comes ahead of a high-level Gaza peace summit scheduled to take place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, later in the day.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, stipulates the exchange of hostages abducted during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Under the initial phase of the deal, Hamas is expected to release 47 Israeli hostages—both living and deceased—in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans detained since the war began.
The group is also expected to hand over the remains of an Israeli soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war.
Hamas’s armed wing confirmed on Monday that preparations for the release were underway and published a list of 20 names.
Shortly after, Israel’s military announced that the Red Cross was en route to collect the hostages.
An Israeli army spokesperson said all 20 living hostages were expected to be released by early Monday morning, ahead of a midday (0900 GMT) deadline set in the ceasefire terms.
“The prisoners will be released once Israel confirms that all of our hostages have crossed the border into Israeli territory,” the spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
Israel, however, does not expect the bodies of all deceased hostages to be returned at this stage.
Leaders Gather for Gaza Peace Talks
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has departed for the Middle East, where he will co-host the Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The summit, taking place in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, aims to consolidate the ceasefire, promote long-term peace in Gaza, and strengthen regional security.
According to Egypt’s presidency, the gathering seeks to “end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional cooperation.”
Diplomatic sources said that the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey are expected to sign a guarantee document formalizing their role as mediators.
Neither Israel nor Hamas will participate directly in the talks.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that no Israeli officials would attend, while Hamas announced it would not send representatives.
World leaders expected at the summit include UN Secretary-General António Guterres, King Abdullah II of Jordan, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Egypt said 21 nations would be represented, including members of the European Union, the Arab League, and countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, and Germany.
Iran confirmed it received an invitation but said neither President Masoud Pezeshkian nor Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would attend.
A Hamas source told AFP that the group has “relinquished control of the Strip” and agreed to a long-term truce under the condition that its weapons would only be used if Israel attacks Gaza.
However, another Hamas official stressed that the movement’s disarmament remains off the table.
Humanitarian Aid Enters Gaza
In related development, more than 200 trucks carrying humanitarian aid, including fuel and cooking gas, crossed into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom border point on Sunday.
An AFP correspondent at the crossing reported that the trucks were unloaded before returning to the Egyptian side, as relief efforts continue to address the dire humanitarian situation in the enclave.
