Gaza latest: Trump says hostages will be released as early as Monday as Israeli cabinet discusses peace deal

US president Donald Trump said on Thursday that he plans to leave for the Middle East sometime on Sunday, after Israel and Hamas reached a deal to release hostages held in Gaza.

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement on Thursday to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of Trump’s initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza that has upended the Middle East.

The World Health Organisation has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.

“After two years of relentless conflict, Gaza’s health system – shattered yet standing – continues to serve its people with extraordinary resilience, thanks to courage of health workers and the unwavering support of WHO and partners.

“The task ahead is immense, but WHO is committed to helping rebuild Gaza’s health system,” the statement continued. “We are scaling up the delivery of medical supplies to address urgent needs, as the burden on hospitals will not ease overnight. We are also expanding medical evacuations from Gaza.

“At the same time, we are supporting the rehabilitation of hospitals and increasing the deployment of emergency medical teams to expand health-care capacity, restore specialist services, and make health facilities fully functional again.”

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned on Thursday that his Jewish Power party would push to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government unless Hamas is ultimately dismantled.

If the Hamas government is not dismantled, or if they only tell us that it is dismantled while in reality it continues to exist under a different guise – Jewish Power will dismantle the government, Ben-Gvir said in a statement ahead of a Netanyahu cabinet meeting to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release plan.

Donald Trump has expressed optimism about there eventually being a Palestinian state, saying: “I think we’ll get to that period.”

The US president was asked about an element of his peace proposal that says there may eventually be a path for Palestinian statehood if “conditions” are in place, and Trump said, “We’re going to see how it all goes.”

“There’s a point at which we may do something that would be a little bit different and may be very positive for everybody. But we’ll be looking at that at the time,” Trump said.

The president added that he was hopeful things would progress that far, saying: “I think we’ll get to that period, too.”

Israel has no plans to release Marwan Barghouti, referred to as the “Palestinian Mandela”, in the prison exchange.

The Jerusalem Post reported that an Israeli government spokesperson confirmed Barghouti would not be part of the hostage-prisoner exchange as part of the deal to end the conflict.

“I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release,” spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters.

The Independent’s Chief International Correspondent Bel Trew reports:

A writer and translator in Gaza has said “the occupation remains” in the Strip.

Sondos Sabra said: “The genocide may end, but the occupation remains. Blockade, settlements, and daily oppression will continue. Palestinians deserve not just a pause in war, but true justice and freedom.”

Exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said on Thursday the group has received guarantees from the United States, Arab mediators and Turkey that the war on Gaza has permanently ended.

US President Donald Trump has said no one will be forced to leave Gaza.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he plans to leave for the Middle East sometime on Sunday, after Israel and Hamas reached a deal to release hostages held in Gaza.

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement on Thursday to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of Trump’s initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza that has upended the Middle East.

The Independent’s Chief International Correspondent Bel Trew reports:

The mother of an Israeli soldier who died while fighting in Gaza in 2014 has warned Donald Trump and the other world leaders to “not allow Hamas to thwart you, otherwise the endless war will not end”, as she called for all the hostages to be released.

Leah Goldin, mother of Hadar Goldin, said in a statement: “This is a personal appeal to you: the President of the United States – Donald Trump; the Prime Minister of Israel – Netanyahu; the Emir of Qatar – Mohammed bin Thani; the President of Egypt – Abdel Fattah al-Sisi; the President of Turkey – Erdoğan – do not let Hamas play you, lie to you, and make a mockery of you – we will not allow it! You are the leaders that made this historic agreement happen, you are the ones who can ensure it is carried out and will not allow Hamas to thwart you. otherwise the endless war will not end. Your chapter in the history of great leadership is being written now. Peace or war depends solely on Hamas’s fulfillment of its obligations under the agreement – the agreement for which you are responsible.

“Do not agree to give them anything until they return **a-l-l** the h-o-s-t-a-g-e-s: the deceased, the fallen just as much as the living.”