World leaders sign cease-fire deal; hostages freed
Compiled from news service reports
In a speech in Egypt, President Donald Trump declared an end to the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
“After years of suffering and bloodshed, the war in Gaza is over,” he said. “Humanitarian aid is now pouring in, including hundreds of truckloads of food and medical equipment and other supplies. Civilians are returning to their homes. The hostages are reuniting.”
Trump and other world leaders gathered in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh signed a deal to end the war. The agreement includes the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, who were freed on Monday.
The Gaza cease-fire declaration that Trump signed with partners from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey affirms that the signatories “pursue a comprehensive vision of peace, security, and shared prosperity in the region, grounded in the principles of mutual respect and shared destiny.”
Families of Hostages Reveal Their Loved Ones’ Experiences
Family members of some of the 20 living hostages released by Hamas opened up about their loved ones’ time in captivity.
Matan Angrest was held in a dark tunnel during his time as a hostage, said his mother, Anat Angrest. He was given more food nearer his release, she said.
Evyatar David’s father said his son was starved during his time in captivity.
“They continued to starve him even after the video; ahead of the release, they tried to stuff him,” he said, referring to a video Hamas took of him that was released in August, showing him looking skeletal.
IDF Escorting Bodies of Four Hostages
The Israel Defense Forces is escorting the bodies of four deceased hostages from Gaza to Israel.
“Four coffins of deceased hostages are currently being escorted by IDF and ISA forces on their way to Israel, where they will be transferred to the National Center of Forensic Medicine for identification procedures,” the IDF said in a post on X.
“Before crossing into Israeli territory, a military protocol will be held in Gaza in their memory,” the post stated.
“During the protocol, IDF soldiers will drape the hostages’ coffins with Israeli flags, salute them, and recite a chapter from the Book of Psalms.”
According to Hamas, these prisoners are Guy Iluz, Bipin Joshi, Daniel Peretz and Yossi Sharabi.
Iluz and Peretz were killed by Hamas in 2023, Sharabi was killed in captivity during an Israeli airstrike in 2024, and the circumstances around Joshi’s death in 2025 are unknown.
Trump said that the second phase of the deal between Israel and Hamas has begun.
It is unclear what the conditions of the second phase are, but Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war, released on Sept. 30, includes the demilitarization of Hamas, and Gaza being temporarily governed by a “Board of Peace.”
Trump Hails ‘Historic Dawn of New Middle East’ in Knesset Speech
Trump declared a “day of profound joy, of soaring hope, of renewed faith” as he addressed the Israeli Knesset on Monday, touting the implementation of a cease-fire designed to conclude two years of fighting in the Gaza Strip.
As he began his remarks, the president noted the release of the last 20 surviving hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.
Trump said the remains of another 28 captives are also due to be turned over to Israeli custody.
The president set expectations for a cease-fire that will hold and lead to a lasting period of peace and prosperity in the Middle East.
“This is not only the end of a war, this is the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God,” Trump said.
“It’s the start of a grand concord and lasting harmony for Israel and all the nations of what will soon be a truly magnificent region. I believe that so strongly, this is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
Israel and Hamas had entered into a cease-fire agreement back in January, but the planned three-phase deal collapsed in March amid disagreements over its implementation.
The latest cease-fire is also set to proceed in phases.
Israeli forces within the war-torn Gaza Strip are supposed to pull back toward the outer edges of the territory, eventually coming to a buffer zone inside Gaza’s perimeter.
The Israeli government is also set to release Palestinians it has detained over the years. The Israeli government turned over around 1,900 Palestinian detainees as part of the exchange on Monday.
Trump credited his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff for bringing about the current cease-fire deal.
Trump described the past two years of conflict throughout the Middle East that followed the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.
At times, he touted the successes of both the United States and the Israeli military.
“The dagger of Hezbollah, long aimed at Israel’s throat, has been totally shattered,” the president said at one point.
Hezbollah forces began launching rockets at Israeli-controlled territory shortly after the 2023 Hamas attack, leading to a cross-border skirmish between Israel and Lebanon and eventually extensive Israeli air strikes across Lebanon and a ground incursion last year into the country to its north.
At another point, Trump hailed the combination of U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran in June of this year.
Israeli forces launched a series of surprise strikes on Iran on June 13.
U.S. forces subsequently joined in shooting down retaliatory Iranian missile barrages and then struck three Iranian nuclear facilities.
“We took a big cloud off of the Middle East and off of Israel. And it was my honor to help,” Trump said of the U.S. operation against Iran.
Trump said he would like to forge a broader peace with Iran, but said he would focus first on resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“First, we have to get Russia done. We’ve got to get that one done,” he said.
Trump urged Israeli leaders to embrace the opportunity for peace.
“Israel, with our help, has won all that they can by force of arms. You’ve won. I mean, you’ve won. Now it’s time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East,” he said.
Building on his call for peace, Trump repeatedly touted the Abraham Accords, an initiative he started during his first term in hopes of normalizing relations between Israel and a growing number of its predominantly Muslim neighboring nations.
“We’ve seen those nations that set aside their differences, reached across ancient divides, and pursued engagement are now among the most successful in the region,” Trump said.
‘What You’ve Done Is a Miracle’: Trump Praises Israel’s Endurance
Trump said he had met with many families of hostages over the past two years, describing their suffering as “unbelievable.”
Trump called it “a true honor” to address the Knesset in the “ancient and eternal capital, Jerusalem,” adding that the city “stands as living proof that a much brighter future for this entire region is truly within our grasp.”
In closing, Trump praised Israel’s endurance and progress, saying: “What you’ve done is a miracle. Look at your size. Look at your chances when it all started. … You are safer today, stronger today, and more respected today than at any time in the history of Israel.”
Released Palestinian Prisoners Arrive in Ramallah
Buses carrying Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah, in the West Bank, Monday morning.
Cheering crowds greeted buses as they arrived in the administrative center of the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority.
Some prisoners had their heads shaved.
Hamas also posted pictures on Facebook showing released prisoners, all wearing white baseball caps outside the Nasser Hospital in Gaza.
Netanyahu Addresses the Knesset
In his address to the Knesset, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for helping in the release of all Israeli living hostages.
He described Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House” and called the day “momentous,” marking the return of the remaining hostages.
“At the beginning of the war, I promised to bring all the hostages home today with the indispensable help, the determined and focused help, the unremitting help of President Trump, his esteem, and with the incredible sacrifice and courage of the soldiers of Israel, we are fulfilling that promise,” Netanyahu said.
Egypt Awards Trump Its Highest State Honor
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi awarded Trump Egypt’s highest state honor, the Order of the Nile.
The Order of the Nile traces back to Egypt’s monarchical past, when it was used to confer a knighthood upon its recipient.
Trump said he was “deeply honored” to receive the award.
Witkoff and Kushner ‘Dug In’ on Peace Plan
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East and peace missions, told reporters that he and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were “dug in,” and would continue to oversee the implementation of the peace deal in a hands-on way.
“The minute we had inked a deal, Jared and I were already working on the implementation side, so we’re dug in, we’ll be here quite a bit, [but] that’s at the discretion of the president,” Witkoff said.
“It feels like a very honorable job.”
Jackson Richman, Andrew Thornebrooke, Ryan Morgan, Evgenia Filimianova and Guy Birchall contributed to this report.
