Hamas gathers hostages for handover to Red Cross
Hamas has reportedly gathered all living hostages at three designated locations across the Gaza Strip, preparing for their transfer to the Red Cross later today, according to statements attributed to the Palestinian organization. From there, the hostages will be transported into Israel as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
However, Hamas continues to face challenges locating all the bodies of deceased captives, which has delayed the official timeline for their handover. Israel, for its part, has expressed readiness to send an international committee to assist in recovery operations and confirm identities.
Negotiations are reportedly continuing over the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange. The central point of contention remains Hamas’s demand for the release of Marwan Barghouti, often referred to as the “Palestinian Mandela”, a demand Israel has firmly rejected.
Israel prepares for prisoner transfer
In Tel Aviv, government spokeswoman Sos Bedrosian stated that as soon as the hostages return to Israel, hundreds of Palestinian detainees will be transferred to Gaza. She noted that buses carrying the prisoners are already on standby, awaiting final confirmation from the Red Cross on the hostages’ release.
Gaza death toll passes 67,800 after two years of war
Meanwhile, rescue efforts in Gaza continue under the temporary ceasefire. At least 117 bodies were recovered from the rubble over the past 24 hours, along with seven additional deaths, according to the local Ministry of Health.
The ministry’s data shows that more than 67,806 Palestinians have been killed and 170,066 injured during the two-year conflict. Gaza’s Civil Defense estimates that about 10,000 people remain buried under collapsed buildings since the war began on October 7, 2023.
Trump: “Everyone in the Middle East is celebrating”
US President Donald Trump departed for the Middle East just before midnight (Greek time), with scheduled stops in Israel and Egypt. Speaking before his departure, Trump declared that “everyone in the Middle East is celebrating” following the ceasefire agreement ending the war in Gaza.
“This will be a very special moment,” he said. “Everyone is excited — this has never happened before.”
Trump is expected to address Israel’s Knesset in Jerusalem tomorrow before attending the “Gaza Peace Summit” in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, which will formally ratify the end of the conflict.
Peace banners flood Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
On Sunday, massive billboards promoting peace and normalization between Israel and its neighbors appeared across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, featuring images of Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has re-emerged as a key Middle East figure.
The posters carry messages such as “Peacemakers in the Middle East”, “Don’t stop now”, and “Continue the path to normalization”. Notably, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is absent from all visuals — a detail widely discussed on social media.
The campaign bears the logo of the Regional Security Coalition, an organization established last year to promote Israel’s regional security partnerships.
