Israeli hostages are being transferred to the Red Cross by Hamas (Image: Getty)
Israel confirmed Hamas has released several hostages this morning as Donald Trump boasts that the Gaza peace deal "could be the biggest thing I was ever involved in". The US president is currently on his way to Israel.
Red Cross vehicles are now moving into position in Gaza to collect the detainees, with their release imminent.
Speaking ahead of what will be a deeply emotional day, Mr Trump said: “The war is over, you understand that, I think (the Middle East) is going to normalise."
The deadline for Hamas to release all Israeli hostages - 48 in total - into the care of the Red Cross is imminent.
Later, Mr Trump will travel to take centre stage at an international summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, before an expected tour of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Mr Trump and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi will host the talks alongside Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will also attend, and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will also be there. Iran will not be represented, despite being invited.
Hamas released seven Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, the first to be freed as part of the ceasefire deal, the AP news agency reports.
Reports in Hebrew media say the seven include Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor and Guy Gilboa-Dallal.
There was no immediate information on their condition.
Hamas has said 20 living hostages will be exchanged for more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Families and friends of hostages broke out into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that the hostages were in the hands of the Red Cross.
Tens of thousands of Israelis are watching the transfers at public screenings across the country, with a major event being held in Tel Aviv.
Israelis have gathered in Hostages Square, Tel Aviv, to watch the release of the hostages (Image: Getty)
Hamas hands over first hostages Red Cross - Israel
Israel says Hamas has handed over the first seven hostages to the Red Cross as part of the Gaza ceasefire, according to the Associated Press news agency.
The Red Cross says it has begun “a multi-phase operation” to oversee the release of hostages and prisoners as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.
It said it will receive hostages held in the Gaza Strip to transfer them to Israeli authorities, while also overseeing the release of prisoners to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Red Cross “will also facilitate the transfer of remains of the deceased so that families can bury their loved ones with dignity,” it added.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has confirmed the Red Cross is travelling to a meeting point in northern Gaza.
The IDF said several hostages will be transferred to the Red Cross.
It said on X: "The IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on."
The first release of Israeli hostages from Gaza will include six people, according to local reports.
\ud83d\udfe1 According to information received, the Red Cross is on its way to a meeting point in northern Gaza where several hostages will be transferred into their custody.
The IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on.
The first release of Israeli hostages from Gaza will include six people, according to local reports.
They will reportedly be freed at around 6am UK time in northern Gaza.
Hamas will free Matan Angrest, brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor and Omri Miran, according to Hebrew-language media quoted by The Times of Israel.
Early on Monday, Hamas released a list of the 20 living Israeli hostages it will free this morning.
According to the Reuters news agency, the names include: 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.
After the hostages held by Hamas are freed, Israel is due to release around 2,000 Palestinian detainees.
They include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge.
The timing of the release by Israel has not been announced yet.
Hamas has released a list early Monday morning of the 20 living hostages it says will free in the coming hours.
The hostages are expected to be handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and then to the Israeli military, which will take them to the Reim military base to be reunited with families.
It is unlikely that the remains of up to 28 other hostages will be returned at the same time.
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