Live: Hamas to release Israeli hostages in Gaza, as Trump says 'war is over'

27m ago5:55pm

Donald Trump has touched down in Israel

Air Force One has landed at Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, after flying over the city's Hostages Square where thousands of people have gathered to watch a livestream of the hostage release. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, were there to greet the US president.

About an hour earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Donald Trump was landing soon and touted a "new dawn in the Middle East".

Trump will address Israel's parliament before travelling to Egypt for a leaders' summit on ending the Gaza conflict.

— Josie Harvey

36m ago5:46pm

Hostages have arrived back in Israel, military says

The first seven hostages to be released have arrived back in Israel, accompanied by the air force and military, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

"They are currently on their way to the initial reception point in southern Israel, where they will reunite with their families," it said in a post on social media.

They would "undergo an initial medical assessment" when they arrive, the IDF said in an earlier post.

More hostages are expected to be transferred by Hamas to the Red Cross later on, the IDF said.

— Josie Harvey

1h ago5:18pm

Seven hostages have been released. Here's who they are

According to the Israeli foreign ministry, the seven hostages released by Hamas so far are:

Gali Berman
Ziv Berman
Eitan Abraham Mor
Omri Miran
Matan Angrest
Alon Ohel
Guy Gilboa-Dalal

"We've been waiting 738 days to say this: Welcome home Alon, Eitan, Guy, Ziv, Gali, Omri, and Matan!" the ministry said in a social media post.

— Josie Harvey

1h ago4:56pm

Palestinian prisoners and detainees reportedly board buses in Israel

All 1,966 Palestinian prisoners and detainees poised for release have boarded buses at Israeli prisons, Reuters is reporting, citing an official involved in the operation.

The 250 prisoners, who had been serving lengthy sentences in Israeli prisons, are expected to be released in the West Bank, Jerusalem and abroad, the news agency reported.

The 1,716 Palestinians who were detained by Israel during the war are expected to be released at Gaza's Nasser Hospital, the official said, according to Reuters.

— Josie Harvey

2h ago4:49pm

Hostage's family members tearfully watch on

Images have trickled in from the home of the mother of one of the hostages, Elkana Bohbot. The 36-year-old was one of the producers of the Nova music festival, where hundreds of people were killed in the October 7 attack on Israel two years ago.

Bohbot's loved ones are watching a livestream of the hostage release from the home in Mevaseret Zion, a town near Jerusalem.

An Israeli family watches on emotionally as the beginning of a hostage release process involving their family member takes place. They have Israeli flags and images of their loved one on their T-shirts.

Families and friends of Elkana Bohbot react as they watch the hostage release live stream from the home of Bohbot's mother. Source: Getty / Amir Levy

2h ago4:24pm

First Israeli hostages released to Red Cross

Seven hostages have been released by Hamas into Red Cross custody, an official said. Their condition is not yet known.

Crowds in Tel Aviv could be seen singing, cheering and waving flags as the news rolled in.

2h ago4:16pm

Red Cross says 'multi-phase operation' is underway

The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has begun "a multi-phase operation" to oversee the release of hostages and prisoners, the Associated Press reported.

The aid group said it will receive hostages held in Gaza and transfer them to Israeli authorities, while also overseeing the release of Palestinian prisoners to the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

It will also facilitate the transfer of the remains of the deceased hostages in Gaza, it said.

— Josie Harvey

2h ago4:10pm

Military helicopter ready to return hostages to Israel, IDF says

An Israeli Air Force helicopter will bring the hostages back to Israel, according to a post by the Israel Defense Forces on social media.

— Josie Harvey

2h ago4:10pm

Israeli military says Red Cross on its way to hostage release point

The Red Cross is on its way to a meeting point in northern Gaza where several hostages will be transferred into their custody, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a social media post.

"The IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on," the post said.

— Josie Harvey

2h ago3:55pm

Who is and isn't attending the world leaders' summit in Egypt?

Here are some of the leaders scheduled to attend the Gaza peace summit in Sharm El Sheikh with Donald Trump after the US president visits Israel.

US President Donald Trump
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
French President Emmanuel Macron
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez
European Council President António Costa
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Jordan's King Abdullah II
Kuwaiti Prime Minister Ahmad Al Abdullah Al Sabah

Representatives for Israel, Hamas and Iran are not expected to be there.

— Josie Harvey

3h ago3:46pm

Nearly 2,000 Palestinians to be released under ceasefire deal

Israel will release about 250 Palestinian prisoners serving lengthy sentences in Israeli jails under the deal, including many convicted of killing Israelis, in addition to some 1,700 Palestinians detained by the Israeli army in Gaza during the war.

Israeli media reported that the country's government had recently approved final changes to the list of prisoners and detainees to be released.

Hamas had proposed a list of prisoners it wanted to be released. Seven high-profile Palestinian leaders were reportedly on the list, including Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat. Negotiators had still been trying to finalise whether these prisoners would be released on Sunday night local time, Hamas sources told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

Israel previously rejected releasing Barghouti.

— Josie Harvey

3h ago3:25pm

Crowds gather in Tel Aviv to await hostage release

The release of hostages is expected to begin from 4pm AEDT via the Netzarim corridor, a military zone that had separated the north and south of the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported, citing Israeli media.

It's currently just after 7am local time, and large crowds have gathered in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square to await the news beneath a big screen.

"My emotions are immense, there are no words to describe them — for me, for us, for all of Israel, which wants the hostages home and waits to see them all return," Einav Zangauker, mother of 25-year-old hostage Matan Zangauker, told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

Israelis gather as hostages held by Hamas set to be released

Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square from the early hours of the morning (local time) to wait for a livestream of the hostage release to begin. Source: EPA / STRINGER/EPA

3h ago3:09pm

Gazans 'joyful' to return to their homes, but 'bitter about the destruction'

Since the ceasefire went into effect, thousands of displaced Gazans have been making their way north to Gaza City, which has faced intense Israeli bombardment over the past two months.

"We are joyful to return to Gaza, but at the same time we have bitter feelings about the destruction," Rami Mohammad-Ali, a Gaza resident, told the Reuters news agency by phone after walking 15km with his son from Deir al Balah to Gaza City.

"We couldn't believe the destruction we have seen."

Over the weekend, hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks began entering the occupied Palestinian territory from Egypt under the terms of the ceasefire deal. The Israeli military said it had withdrawn to a line, specified in the agreement, that leaves it in control of 53 per cent of Gaza.

Much of the strip has been razed to the ground by Israel, and residents returned to find rubble where their homes once stood. SBS News chief international correspondent Ben Lewis, reporting from Israel, said it was clear even from a distance "how much of the Gaza Strip has been flattened".

"It's unrecognisable from what it was before," Lewis said.

— Josie Harvey

4h ago2:39pm

What do we know about the living hostages?

The living hostages include multiple attendees and staff of the Nova music festival, the site at which nearly 370 people were killed by Hamas militants in the October 7 attack.

Among them are Elkana Bohbot, 36, who was one of the producers of the festival. Rom Braslavski, 21, was working as a security guard when the festival was attacked. Two other hostages, 24-year-old Evyatar David and his childhood friend Guy Gilboa Dalal, were partying at the festival when they were taken.

Other captives were residents of southern Israeli communities. Omri Miran, 48, a therapeutic masseur, was taken from his home in the Nahal Oz kibbutz in front of his wife and daughters.

Israeli-Argentinian brothers David and Ariel Cunio, 35 and 28, were abducted while hiding in the safe room of David's home in the Nir Oz kibbutz.

Here's what we know about the 20 hostages believed to be alive:

Who are the hostages Israel believes are still alive and when will they be released?

— Josie Harvey

4h ago2:38pm

US President Donald Trump en route to the region

United States President Donald Trump will likely receive a hero's welcome in Israel when he arrives. Monday's developments were precipitated by the White House's release of a 20-point peace plan for the region late last month, which also called for a ceasefire, disarmament of Hamas and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

A ceasefire has been in place since noon on Friday local time. Trump had announced two days earlier that both Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of the plan.

After addressing Israel's parliament, the Knesset, on Monday, Trump will travel to Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh for a summit on ending the war. Other world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, are expected to be there.

Thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square over the weekend, and attendees cheered when Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, mentioned his name. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose handling of the conflict has divided public opinion at home, did not receive such a positive response from the crowd.

SBS News chief international correspondent Ben Lewis reported from Israel:

— Josie Harvey

4h ago2:37pm

Hostage release expected in a matter of hours

Israeli officials said they expect the hostage release to begin early Monday morning local time, from around 2pm AEDT.

According to Reuters, Israeli media is reporting that the hostage release will begin around 8am local time — 4pm AEDT.

The release of the 20 living hostages is to be followed later by a handover of the remains of 28 deceased hostages, which may take longer to deliver.

The deadline for the hostage release, under the ceasefire agreement, is 8pm AEDT.

They’ve been held in Gaza since they were captured on 7 October 2023, during Hamas’ deadly attack on southern Israel.

— Josie Harvey

4h ago2:37pm

Welcome to the live blog

Thanks for joining our live coverage. After two years of devastating war, Hamas and Israel are poised to initiate the first phase of a plan for peace in Gaza with an exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.

Twenty living hostages taken from Israel during Hamas' October 7 attack in 2023 are to be released by Hamas under the deal. The remains of 28 deceased hostages are also to be handed over. Israel is to release about 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

United States President Donald Trump is on his way to Jerusalem to address the Israeli parliament, and he's expected to meet with the families of the hostages. He told reporters in Washington that "the war is over" as he boarded Air Force One for the Middle East.

Trump says Gaza 'war is over' as Israel awaits release of hostages amid ceasefire

— Josie Harvey

Live: First seven hostages handed over to Red Cross in Gaza as Trump arrives in Israel

The remaining 13 confirmed living hostages, along with the bodies of 26 dead hostages and another two whose fate is unknown, are also expected to be released on Monday.

Donald Trump has touched down in Israel

Hostages have arrived back in Israel, military says

Seven hostages have been released. Here's who they are

Palestinian prisoners and detainees reportedly board buses in Israel

Hostage's family members tearfully watch on

First Israeli hostages released to Red Cross

Red Cross says 'multi-phase operation' is underway

Military helicopter ready to return hostages to Israel, IDF says

Israeli military says Red Cross on its way to hostage release point

Who is and isn't attending the world leaders' summit in Egypt?

Nearly 2,000 Palestinians to be released under ceasefire deal

Crowds gather in Tel Aviv to await hostage release

Gazans 'joyful' to return to their homes, but 'bitter about the destruction'

What do we know about the living hostages?

READ MORE

US President Donald Trump en route to the region

Hostage release expected in a matter of hours

Welcome to the live blog

READ MORE

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Live: First seven hostages handed over to Red Cross in Gaza as Trump arrives in Israel

The remaining 13 confirmed living hostages, along with the bodies of 26 dead hostages and another two whose fate is unknown, are also expected to be released on Monday.

Donald Trump has touched down in Israel

Hostages have arrived back in Israel, military says

Seven hostages have been released. Here's who they are

Palestinian prisoners and detainees reportedly board buses in Israel

Hostage's family members tearfully watch on

First Israeli hostages released to Red Cross

Red Cross says 'multi-phase operation' is underway

Military helicopter ready to return hostages to Israel, IDF says

Israeli military says Red Cross on its way to hostage release point

Who is and isn't attending the world leaders' summit in Egypt?

Nearly 2,000 Palestinians to be released under ceasefire deal

Crowds gather in Tel Aviv to await hostage release

Gazans 'joyful' to return to their homes, but 'bitter about the destruction'

What do we know about the living hostages?

READ MORE

US President Donald Trump en route to the region

Hostage release expected in a matter of hours

Welcome to the live blog

READ MORE

previous

1of1

next

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