Israeli hostage release: Netanyahu welcomes Trump with second group of hostages expected to be released shortly – live updates | Middle East and north Africa
Trump lands in Israel ahead of parliament speech The US president, Donald Trump, has arrived in Israel to address the Israeli parliament, before he is scheduled to travel to Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh for a world leaders’ summit on ending Israel’s war on Gaza. He has been greeted by his close ally, Israeli prime minister Benjamin…
Trump lands in Israel ahead of parliament speech
The US president, Donald Trump, has arrived in Israel to address the Israeli parliament, before he is scheduled to travel to Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh for a world leaders’ summit on ending Israel’s war on Gaza.
He has been greeted by his close ally, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, alongside US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who helped broker the ceasefire deal.
Key events
IDF: first group of Israeli hostages arrive at initial reception point in Israeli territory
The IDF said the seven hostages handed over by Hamas earlier (see post at 07.24 for their names) have arrived at the “initial reception point” in Israeli territory.
They will soon undergo an initial medical evaluation and meet with their families at the reception point in the Gaza Envelope area, according to the IDF.
The Israeli military added in its social media post:
IDF representatives are accompanying all the families waiting at the hospitals and providing them with ongoing updates. The IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later.
Red Cross on its way to collect second group of hostages, IDF says
The Israeli military has just posted an update about some of the remaining living hostages.
In a post on X, the IDF wrote:
According to received information, the Red Cross is on its way to another meeting point in the southern sector, where several hostages will be handed over to it.
Netanyahu welcomes Trump in Israel
You can watch Donald Trump as he is greeted by Benjamin Netanyahu in this live feed below:
Trump shakes hands with Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country’s president Isaac Herzog, with his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner watching on.
Trump lands in Israel ahead of parliament speech
The US president, Donald Trump, has arrived in Israel to address the Israeli parliament, before he is scheduled to travel to Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh for a world leaders’ summit on ending Israel’s war on Gaza.
He has been greeted by his close ally, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, alongside US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who helped broker the ceasefire deal.
IDF says seven released hostages have crossed the border into Israeli territory
Daniel Boffey
The IDF and Shin Bet spokespersons have formally announced that the seven released hostages have now crossed the border into Israeli territory with the army.
They said:
The returnees are currently on their way to the initial absorption point in the Gaza Strip where they will meet with their families. The IDF is prepared to absorb additional abductees who will later be transferred to the Red Cross.
Daniel Boffey
The Guardian’s chief reporter, Daniel Boffey, is providing us with some live updates from Tel Aviv:
The estimated 65,000 people at hostages square in Tel Aviv have reacted with loud cheers to the news announced from the main stage that Air Force One will soon fly over them carrying US president Donald Trump.
On the large screens on two sides of hostages square in Tel Aviv, video footage has been shown of hostages Matan Zangauker, Nimrod Cohen, and David and Ariel Cunio speaking to their families prior to their release. It appears that Hamas permitted them to call their loved ones back home.
Footage has been circulating of families speaking – via videocall – to some of the 13 living hostages who have not yet been released by Hamas.
Hamas handed over the seven hostages, named as Matan Angrest, brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor, Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Omri Miran to the Red Cross in Gaza City.
As we mentioned in the previous post, once transported back to Israel, the IDF says the hostages will “undergo an initial medical assessment”.
The Israeli military says it is “prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on”.
The other 13 living hostages will be released later this morning from different areas of Gaza. We have not had confirmation on when exactly they will be released.
IDF confirms receiving first seven hostages released by Hamas
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) has confirmed receiving the first seven hostages released under the first phase of Trump’s ceasefire deal.
In a statement published to X, the IDF wrote:
Seven returning hostages have now met IDF and Shin Bet forces in the Gaza Strip, and they are on their way to Israeli territory.
Seven returning hostages are currently being accompanied by IDF and Shin Bet forces on their way back home, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment.
This picture shows the Red Cross convoy transporting the first seven hostages released by Hamas through Gaza. After bein handed over to the Israeli military, they are expected to be taken to Re’im military base in southern Israel:
Seven hostages freed and handed to Red Cross, says IDF
The Israeli military has confirmed that seven hostages have been transferred to the Red Cross and are on their way to meet Israeli forces.
They are expected to be flown to Re’im military base in southern Israel.
A large crowd gathered to support hostage families in Tel Aviv erupted in celebration at the handover.
A social media post from the Israel Defence Forces said it was “prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on”.
The Israeli government said earlier that it expected all 20 living hostages held in Gaza to be freed on Monday and that it was preparing for the release of about 2,000 Palestinian detainees under the ceasefire deal.
Joy in Hostages Square
Daniel Boffey
Daniel Boffey is in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and has sent this report:
Thousands of people gathered at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv roared their approval as it was announced from a stage that the first seven live hostages had been released into Israeli army hands.
The reports have not been formally confirmed by the Israeli government or the Israeli Defence Force but those released are said by Israeli media to be Matan Engerst, Guy Gilboa Dalal, Alon Ohel, Eitan Tzur, Gali and Zivi Berman, Eitan Mor and Omri Moran. A later update did not include the name Eitan Tzur.
Jude Frajdenrajch, 55, waving an Israeli flag, said: “I have been coming here every Saturday to the square. I just wanted to see them come out.”
A total of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons are expected to be released the West Bank, Jerusalem and aboard on Monday, Reuters has quoted an offical involved in the operation as saying.
The news agency also reports that 1,716 Palestinians from Gaza who have been detained by Israel are expected to be released at Gaza’s Nasser hospital on Monday, Reuters also quoted an official as saying.