Countries mediating the Gaza ceasefire will sign a formal agreement on Monday in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, a diplomatic source told AFP. The signatories will include the US, Egypt, Qatar, and likely Turkey. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the document to officially end the war will be signed at the summit, hosted by the US and Egypt.
Israel Declares Victory
Israel announced victory over Hamas on Sunday. Hamas is preparing to release surviving hostages. This is a key step in US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan. Once Hamas hands over the hostages, Israel will release about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange. Negotiators were still finalizing details. Two Hamas sources said the group wants Israel to free seven senior Palestinian leaders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “This is an emotional evening, an evening of tears, an evening of joy, because tomorrow our children will return to our borders.”
He added, “Together we achieved tremendous victories … But at the same time I must tell you, the fight is not over.” Israel’s army chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said, “The military pressure we applied over the past two years, together with complementary diplomatic measures, constitute a victory over Hamas.” Spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said Israel expects to release all 20 living hostages early Monday.
Hostage Exchange
Trump will arrive in Israel after the release. He will address the Israeli parliament before traveling to Egypt for a summit with world leaders to back his peace plan.
Bedrosian said, “Palestinian prisoners will be released once Israel has confirmation that all of our hostages set to be released tomorrow are across the border into Israel.”
Two Hamas sources confirmed the group still wants Israel to free seven prominent Palestinians, including one previously rejected. They said preparations are complete for handing over all living hostages.
The plan also includes releasing 47 remaining hostages—living and deceased—abducted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. Hamas will also return the remains of a soldier killed in 2014.
Among the prisoners, 250 are security detainees, many convicted of killing Israelis. About 1,700 were detained during the war.
Gaza Summit
After visiting Israel, Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will lead a summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. The meeting will strengthen the ceasefire and create a political framework for Gaza’s post-war governance.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Spain’s Pedro Sanchez, King Abdullah of Jordan, and French President Emmanuel Macron will attend. Neither Israel nor Hamas will participate in the summit.
Life After Ceasefire
On the third day of the ceasefire, some aid trucks entered Gaza. Residents in Khan Yunis said food shipments were ransacked amid chaos. Mahmud al-Muzain said, “Everyone fears the war will return. We stockpile food out of fear and worry that the war will come back.”
Many displaced Gazans, like 38-year-old Fatima Salem, began returning home. She said, “My eyes kept searching for landmarks I had lost – nothing looked the same, even the neighbours’ houses were gone.”
In Israel, families of hostages expressed relief. Einav Zangauker, mother of 25-year-old hostage Matan Zangauker, said, “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.”
Long-Term Truce
Mediators now face the challenge of securing a long-term solution. Hamas lost many leaders over the past two years but remains armed. A source close to the group said, “Hamas agrees to a long-term truce, and for its weapons not to be used at all during this period, except in the event of an Israeli attack on Gaza.”
Under Trump’s plan, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza. A multi-national force led by the US will replace them. The war killed at least 67,806 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN considers these figures credible. More than half of the dead are women and children.