Freedom for Hostages – “The War is Over” – The Day After Begins for the Middle East

Publisher’s Note: We will be updating this historical moment throughout the day – check back.

UPDATES:

2am – first 7 hostages released to Red Cross – all said to be walking on their own – and have entered Israel

The second group of 13, from another location, are in the process of being released into Israel

Families gather in Hostages Square, some up all night

Roads have been festooned with a combination of Israeli and USA flags as well as electronic signs and a giant sign on an Israeli beach (below)

A welcome sign was made on the Tel Aviv Beach for President Trump to see as he flies in, expected around

President Trump arrived at approximately 3am ET – there were photos on board of the television coverage of the releases – the plane flew over Hostages Square

“This is my great honor. A great and beautiful day. A new beginning” – Pres. Trump’s message signed into the book at the Knesset, first President to speak at the “Israeli Parliament” since 2008

As of 4:30ET all living hostages have been released from Gaza – all have been seen to walk – though weight loss is an obvious first impression – some have been reunited immediately with small groups of family members

Hostages Square in Israel has been renamed to Freed Square

Watch Knesset address HERE: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

After the hostage release world leaders gathered to sign the Peace Plan in Egypt

At the end of the day, a procession bearing the coffins of 4 hostages was brought into Israel

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Hostage Release — with Hope and Pain and Joy

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas enters its most delicate stage Monday, as the long-promised exchange of hostages and prisoners has begun — moments of relief shadowed by grief, uncertainty, and extraordinary logistical and medical challenges. At approximately 2am ET, the first of the hostages – said to be 7 – were released to the International Red Cross in Gaza and were on their way to Israel.

Multiple Release Points, Two Hospitals Prepared

Hostages will be released from several separate locations, not a single handover site, to manage security and stagger medical transfers. Conditions of the hostage release is that there are no ceremonies or opportunities to parade hostages before the public.

Two facilities have been prepared: one designed to resemble a home setting, to ease the transition for those healthy enough to meet family immediately, and another arranged as a fully equipped hospital for those in fragile condition.

Doctors have been briefed under new “captivity medicine” protocols — combining trauma, nutrition, and psychological care — to treat hostages suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, infection, or acute stress disorders.

20 Alive, 28 Deceased 

The exchange will bring home 20 living hostages and the remains of 28 deceased. Late on Sunday, it was announced that 2 more hostage had been identified. If true, that would make it 22 living hostages. But that has not been confirmed. The Hamas have released their own list of those to be released, 2 of the most seriously injured are not on that list. As we publish, their fate is unknown (check updates). Hamas has told mediators it cannot yet locate all 28 deceased remains, saying it will need more time to recover remains from war-torn Gaza. Families brace for partial returns and painful delays. The Hamas have given some hostages phones so they could speak with their families as they are being readied for release.

Approximately 250 Palestinian prisoners, described as some of the “worst of the worst” and at least 10 on death row, are set to be freed, as well as approximately 1,400 other detainees from the war.  On Saturday, some were moved to facilities closer to transfer points.

Here is the list of the 20 originally identified:

Trump’s High-Profile Trip Adds Global Attention

President Donald Trump, whose peace framework – the 20 Point Plan – shaped the current deal, will visit Egypt and Israel this week. On Saturday at Hostages Square, Steve Witkoff, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, and Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump addressed over 100,000 gathered. Nearly every time President Trump’s name was mentioned, the crowd cheered his name. Notably, when PM Netanyahu was mentioned, jeers could be heard in the crowd.

President Trump flew out late Sunday or early Monday to attend a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and regional envoys, and attend a Middle East Peace Ceremony – he will then leave for a  4-hour stop in Jerusalem, where he will address the Knesset – a group of 120 similar to a Parliament.  No US President has addressed the Knesset since 2008. He is set to return to the U.S. on Tuesday where he will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, in the late afternoon.

Watch President’s address to the Knesset – here:  https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1PlJQOjzjyMKE

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Humanitarian Surge and Rebuilding Efforts

More than 500 aid trucks have entered Gaza since the ceasefire began, but shortages persist in water, fuel, and medicine. There is a plan to push 6-800 trucks a day. The United Nations is launching a 60-day humanitarian “surge” aimed at stabilizing hospitals and power systems. Thousands of displaced residents are returning to devastated neighborhoods with no adequate housing.

Ceasefire’s First Major Test

Monday’s exchange will mark the truce’s most visible and volatile moment. Any breakdown in coordination could reignite fighting or freeze later phases, including Israel’s planned troop withdrawal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists Hamas must disarm before full withdrawal; Hamas says disarmament can come only after Israeli troops leave Gaza. That sequence remains the central fault line of negotiations.

There has also been reports of executions and violence with the Hamas against the Palestinians.

A Note of Sorrow Amid Hope

Even as the world watches for homecomings, the emotional cost of two years of war remains immense.
Israeli mental-health experts warn that the return of hostages — living and deceased — will reopen trauma for countless families, especially those whose loved ones were lost either as hostages or as soldiers.

The death this weekend of Roei Shalev, a survivor of the 2023 Nova music-festival massacre, underscores that even in moments of hope, grief and loss continue to ripple through Israeli society. Shalev, who watched his fiancee killed in front of him, after the second anniversary, committed suicide, saying he could not take the pain of living anymore.

Local Reaction

Two of RI congressional delegation issued statements on the release of the hostages and peace-making:

Rep. Gabe Amo:

“The initial ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is welcome and hopeful news after two years of war and the unspeakable pain this conflict has wrought. This meaningful step moves the region closer to the lasting peace and security that Israelis and Palestinians deserve. It is long past time to end the violence, see the safe return of the hostages, and surge essential humanitarian aid to stop the suffering of civilians in Gaza.

I await the details of the plan and how the United States will support the global effort to execute it. The process of rebuilding will be difficult, but it is essential that we are undeterred by the size and scale of the task. I urge all parties to work in good faith towards a comprehensive, permanent, and lasting resolution of the conflict, leading to a more encouraging, optimistic future, not driven by fear, for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”

Rep. Seth Magaziner:

“After two years of immense suffering, the signing of an initial agreement between Israel and Hamas for the return of the remaining Israeli hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza is welcome and joyful news. I am hopeful that it marks the beginning of a permanent end to this devastating conflict. Much work remains to ensure this initial agreement turns into a permanent resolution of the conflict and a fair and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians. In the short term, the return of the hostages must proceed immediately and aid needs to drastically increase and flow unimpeded into Gaza to address the dire humanitarian crisis.”

No comments were received by Sens. Reed or Whitehouse

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Other Commentary

Former Sect. of State Hillary Clinton: “I really commend President Trump and his administration, as well as Arab leaders in the region for making the commitment to the 20-point plan and seeing a path forward for what’s often called the day after.”

Former President Barack Obama: “After two years of unimaginable loss and suffering for Israeli families and the people of Gaza, we should all be encouraged and relieved that an end to the conflict is within sight; that those hostages still being held will be reunited with their families; and that vital aid can start reaching those inside Gaza whose lives have been shattered.”

Former VP Kamala Harris:  “I really do hope it becomes real and that the hostages are out, that Gaza is no longer being treated with such brutality of force, that aid goes in,” Harris said. “I commend the people who have been a part of this process. I commend the Qataris, the Egyptians, and the president.”

Former President Bill Clinton:  “A year after Hamas’ terrible assault on Israel, we must not forget that there are still more than 70 hostages who need to come home and that the need to contain loss of life, humanitarian suffering, and the potential for wider war remains. We cannot rewrite or erase this painful history, but we can begin a new chapter in the long struggle for all people in the Middle East to live in peace, security, and dignity.”

After receiving criticism about the statement, Clinton released a more complete one – and Former President Biden issued one as well:

 

Sen. John Fetterman: “The nightmare finally ends. May the hostages have a full recovery and may we never forget those who didn’t make it out alive. Credit to @POTUS for a breakthrough ceasefire of this awful war.”

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What happens the day after…

The President commented, firmly, to a reporter’s question on Air Force One if the war was over – “The war is over. The war is over.” He said he understood that violence has broken out and some groups will challenge the holding of the peace and the 20-point plan. He said the region – and the peacekeeping American troops – are prepared for that.

Stability in the Middle East has never been perfect. As this war is coming to an end, officially, new word of Afghanistan and Pakistan at war has been surfacing. President Trump said he was aware and that it would have to wait for a bit until he could clear his schedule to deal with that war.

President Trump and former PM Tony Blair will head a leadership group for the area.