Hamas released the first seven surviving hostages on Monday, an official involved in the operation said, the initial phase of a ceasefire agreement that US President Donald Trump helped to broker, aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza.
The truce and the exchange of both hostages and prisoners followed two years of war that evolved into a regional conflict, drawing in countries such as Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon, while deepening Israel's international isolation and reshaping the Middle East.
The seven hostages had been transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross from the armed wing of Hamas in Gaza, the official said.
The handover of the 13 remaining surviving hostages, plus 28 other Israeli hostages - 26 dead and two whose fate is unknown - is expected to follow.
Under the agreement, Israel was set to release almost 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners from its prisons later on Monday. Those 1,966 detainees boarded buses at jails, and most were expected to be released at Gaza's Nasser Hospital on Monday, an official involved in the operation said.
“The war is over,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew from Washington to Israel on Sunday. Asked about prospects for the region, he said, “I think it's going to normalize.
In a statement issued on Monday, Hamas affirmed its commitment to the terms and timeline of the deal, contingent on Israel's adherence.
It claimed that Israel agreed to a ceasefire and swap deal after it failed to free the hostages through its military offensive.
Israeli airstrikes and ground assaults have since devastated Gaza, killing more than 67,000 Palestinians, the enclave's health officials say.
Progress toward a lasting peace now hinges on global commitments that may be discussed at a summit later on Monday, featuring more than 20 world leaders led by Trump in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh resort.
Much could still go wrong. Further steps in Trump's 20-point plan have yet to be agreed upon.
Those include how the demolished Gaza Strip will be governed once fighting ends, and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has rejected Israel's demands that it disarm.
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