All living Israeli hostages have been released as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, with hundreds of Palestinian detainees and prisoners also freed. The agreement, brokered with US involvement, saw the release of the last living hostages on Monday, marking a significant step in ending the conflict in Gaza.
Hamas has begun deploying armed fighters and police across parts of Gaza in an apparent effort to reassert authority in the devastated territory. Images showed dozens of Hamas fighters at a hospital in southern Gaza during the hostage release, and there were reports of shootings and executions elsewhere.
A summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, aimed to finalise the ceasefire and coordinate reconstruction. However, a last-minute plan to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was aborted after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan refused to attend if the invitation stood.
Trump declared the ceasefire marks the end of Israel's war on Gaza and the 'age of terror and death', while Netanyahu praised Trump as Israel's greatest friend. The Gaza health ministry reported at least 67,869 Palestinian deaths and 170,105 injuries since 7 October 2023.
