Trump hails Gaza truce deal, freeing of hostages as ‘historic dawn of a new Middle East’ in speech to Israeli Knesset

JERUSALEM (AP) – Trump to hail Gaza truce deal, freeing of hostages as ‘historic dawn of a new Middle East’ in speech to Israeli Knesset. Hamas released all 20 of the last living hostages on Monday, the Israeli military said, as part of a breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the devastated Gaza Strip.

Buses carrying dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners drove to the West Bank city of Ramallah and the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Prisoners Office said, as Israel has released more than 1,900 prisoners.

U.S. President Donald Trump is in the region to discuss postwar plans and the U.S.-proposed deal with other leaders. A surge of humanitarian aid was expected into famine-stricken Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless.

While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners marked a key step toward ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.

What to know:

• World leaders throw their weight behind the Gaza ceasefire deal: The U.S. and Egyptian presidents are chairing a gathering of world leaders dubbed "the Summit for Peace" to support ending the two-year war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal. Leaders from Turkey, Jordan, Britain, Germany, France and Italy are all attending.
• Israel will award Trump highest civilian honor: Israeli President Isaac Herzog's office said he will award Trump Israel's highest civilian honor, the "Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor," for his efforts to bring the hostages home.
• The war's impact: The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage. In Israel's ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.