Israel, Hamas ceasefire: Hostages set to be released as US President Donald Trump heads to Middle East

Donald Trump says the war in Gaza has ended and the Middle East is going to “normalise”, as Hamas prepares to release Israeli hostages and world leaders gather to discuss the next steps toward peace.

“The war is over, you understand that?” the US President told reporters aboard Air Force One as he was flying to Israel to first meet with hostage families and then deliver a speech to the Israeli parliament.

Asked about prospects for the region, Mr Trump said, “I think it’s going to normalise”.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day on Sunday ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and a scheduled address by Mr Trump to Israel’s Parliament.

Thousands of Palestinians continued to travel north towards Gaza City, the focus of Israeli attacks over the past two months, hopeful the ceasefire would bring an end to the war.

“Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path. A path of building, a path of healing, and I hope - a path of uniting hearts,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

The optimism was shared broadly.

“There is a lot of joy among the people,” said Abdou Abu Seada, a resident of Gaza who added that the joy was tempered by exhaustion after two years of war that has destroyed much of Gaza.

Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Israel expected hostages to start being released early on Monday, with the 20 living hostages to be released together.

Their release is to be followed later by the handover of bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages.

Mr Trump will arrive in Israel on Monday to address the Knesset, before travelling to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt for a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will also attend the summit.

The US, along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediated what has been described as a first phase agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners and detainees by Israel.

The Israel Prison Service said it had transferred some Palestinian prisoners to other facilities ahead of their expected release.

The Israeli Ministry of Justice has released the names of 250 Palestinians, convicted of murder and other serious crimes, who are to be freed under the deal.

The list does not include senior Hamas commanders that the Islamist militant group had sought to free, or prominent figures from other factions such as Marwan Al Barghouti or Ahmed Saadat.

Israel will also to release 1700 Palestinians who have been detained in Gaza since October 7, 2023, and 22 Palestinian minors, along with the bodies of 360 militants.

Israeli Government spokesperson Bedrosian said the prisoners would be released once the living hostages reached Israel.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that once the hostages were returned, the military would destroy underground tunnels in Gaza built by Hamas.

Palestinians returning to northern Gaza have described widespread devastation and rescue workers warned there could be unexploded ordnance and bombs in the area.

Amjad Al Shawa, who heads a Palestinian organisation co-ordinating with aid groups, estimated 300,000 tents were needed to temporarily house 1.5 million displaced Gazans.

“We couldn’t believe the destruction we have seen,” Rami Mohammad-Ali, 37, said by phone after walking 15km with his son from Deir Al Balah to Gaza City.

“We are joyful to return to Gaza (City) but at the same time we have bitter feelings about the destruction,” he said.

with DPA and AP