Trump Welcomed in Israel as Names of Hostages Released Amid Fragile Gaza Ceasefire
US President Donald Trump will receive a hero’s welcome in Israel’s parliament on Monday as a fragile Gaza ceasefire he helped broker enters its fourth day, marked by the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners — a moment of cautious hope in a conflict long resistant to resolution.
The truce follows two years of devastating war sparked by a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, that killed around 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 others taken hostage. Israeli airstrikes and ground assaults have since left more than 67,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
“The war is over,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he departed Washington for Israel. Asked about prospects for the region, he added, “I think it’s going to normalise.”
The United Nations said humanitarian aid had begun to flow into Gaza, including cooking gas for the first time since March, alongside expanded deliveries of food and medicine.
Names of hostages and prisoners released
In a key development underscoring the day’s significance, Hamas on Monday published the names of the 20 Israeli hostages to be freed under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. The list included:
Bar Abraham Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Matan Angrest, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Horn, Eitan Abraham Mor, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Rom Braslavski, Ariel Cunio, and David Cunio.
Israel expects the hostages to begin returning early on Monday, with the initial 20 survivors to be released together, followed by the handover of 28 others — 26 confirmed dead and two whose fate remains unknown.
The Israeli Justice Ministry also released the names of 250 Palestinian prisoners convicted of murder and other serious crimes slated for release as part of the exchange. Notably absent were high-profile figures such as senior Hamas commanders, Marwan Barghouti, and Ahmed Saadat — key demands from Hamas. Negotiations over the final list remain ongoing, alongside plans to release 1,700 Gazans detained since the 2023 attacks.
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