US President Donald Trump arrived in Israel on Monday morning to mark the implementation of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as the release of the first group of Israeli hostages began.
Air Force One touched down at Ben-Gurion International Airport at 9:42 am local time, after flying over Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
Trump was received at the airport by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hamas released all surviving 20 Israeli hostages into the custody of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) earlier in the day, marking the first step in the exchange agreement, according to the Associated Press.
The release of the bodies of 28 dead Israeli hostages is expected to follow the release of the Palestinians.
The ICRC is overseeing both the transfer of the released hostages to Israel and the corresponding release of Palestinian prisoners to Gaza.
The Hostage Families Forum, a grassroots organisation representing many of the families, identified seven of the released individuals as twins Gali and Ziv Berman, 28, kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza; Omri Miran, 48, taken from Kibbutz Nahal Oz; Matan Angrest, 22, an Israeli soldier abducted from his tank; and Eitan Mor, 25, Alon Ohel, 24, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24, who were taken from the Nova music festival.
Videos circulating on social media showed emotional scenes of the hostages’ return.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the development, calling it a “crucial milestone towards peace” and crediting President Trump for the breakthrough.
“President Trump made this breakthrough possible,” she wrote on X.
Earlier on Monday, Trump declared that “the war is over,” expressing confidence that the ceasefire would hold.
“I think it’s going to hold. There are many reasons why it will. People are tired of it — it’s been going on for centuries,” he said.
Calling it a “special moment” and a “historic” day, the 79-year-old leader added, “Everybody is happy, whether it’s Jewish or Muslim or the Arab countries. Every country is dancing in the streets, celebrating together, which has never happened before. Usually, when one side celebrates, the other does not. Everyone is amazed. We’re going to have an incredible time, and it’s going to be something the world has never seen before.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife sent a personal note to the hostages returning from Hamas captivity, included in a welcome kit prepared by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The kit contained clothing, personal essentials, a laptop, cellphone, and tablet.
Their handwritten message read: “In the name of all the people of Israel, welcome home! We’ve been waiting for you, we embrace you.”