Latest Developments Since the Ceasefire in Gaza
The latest developments since the ceasefire in Gaza include a plan for the Hamas group to release surviving Israeli hostages early on Monday, paving the way for the next phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza.
Here are the recent updates as an international summit is set to take place in Egypt involving Mr. Trump.
Hostage Exchange for Prisoners
Under the agreement, 48 hostages or the remains of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, including 20 who are alive, must be returned to Israel by Monday at 09:00 GMT.
Regarding those who have died, the Israeli army believes not all will be returned on Monday. An international organization will assist in locating them if necessary, according to a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In return, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinians detained for "security reasons," many of whom were convicted of deadly anti-Israeli attacks, as well as 1,700 Palestinians arrested in Gaza since the war began.
Hamas and its allies have "completed preparations" for the expected release of living hostages on Monday, but the Palestinian movement continues to demand the release of Palestinian leaders from Israel as part of the exchange, sources close to the negotiations and Hamas told AFP on Sunday.
"Peace Summit"
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and U.S. President Donald Trump will preside over a "peace summit" in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, attended by leaders from over 20 countries and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Neither Israel nor Hamas will participate in the meeting. Iran will also not attend, as its officials do not wish to "engage in dialogue with counterparts who have attacked the Iranian people and continue to threaten and sanction us," referring to the United States.
According to Cairo, the represented countries include: Egypt, the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, India, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Cyprus, Greece, Azerbaijan, Spain, Armenia, Hungary, Norway, and the Netherlands. Canada will also be represented by its Prime Minister Mark Carney.
"Guarantors" of the Agreement
At this summit, the mediating countries are expected to sign a document guaranteeing the implementation of the agreement, a diplomatic source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"The signatories will be the guarantors: the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and probably Turkey," the source indicated.
Outstanding Issues
According to a Hamas source, the Palestinian movement has renounced participating in the future governance of Gaza, where it seized power in 2007.
On the other hand, Hamas leadership seems unanimous in rejecting the disarmament of the movement, which is considered terrorist by Israel, the United States, and the European Union, among others, another key point of the American plan.
A senior Hamas official, Hossam Badran, warned of "difficult" negotiations for the next phase of Trump's plan, which includes not only the disarmament of Hamas but also the exile of its fighters and the continuation of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Israel Declares Victory
"Together, we have achieved immense victories, victories that have stunned the entire world. And I want to tell you: wherever we fought, we won, but at the same time, I must tell you that the struggle is not over," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address.
"We still have very significant security challenges ahead of us. Some of our enemies are trying to recover to attack us again, and as we say here, we will take care of it," added Mr. Netanyahu without further details.
Before him, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir also claimed a "victory over Hamas."
Mass Returns Amid Ruins
Hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals set out early on the first day of the ceasefire towards northern Gaza, the primary target of the last phase of the Israeli offensive, often returning to find only ruins. Approximately 500,000 people, according to civil defense, had returned to the north by Saturday.
On Sunday, 200 trucks loaded with aid entered through the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel, including six trucks of diesel and five trucks of cooking gas. This is the first time in seven months that cooking gas has entered Gaza.
