Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In a dramatic turning point for the ongoing Middle East crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump to Israel on Monday, just as the final 20 living hostages held by Hamas were released in a long-awaited prisoner exchange deal.
The hostages, taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, have now returned to Israeli territory after nearly two years in captivity. Their release marks a major milestone in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, signaling a tentative step toward de-escalation after years of devastating conflict in Gaza.
President Trump landed in Tel Aviv on Monday morning, where he was met on the tarmac by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Shortly afterward, Trump visited the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, where he is expected to deliver a speech reinforcing U.S. commitment to Israeli security and regional peace efforts.
Photos released by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office showed Netanyahu and Trump in high-level discussions at the Knesset, a symbolic setting for what Israeli officials describe as a “new phase” in the conflict’s resolution.
In tandem with Trump’s visit, the Israeli government confirmed that the last 20 living Israeli hostages had been handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross and brought back into Israeli custody. Among them are David and Ariel Kunio, Avinan Or, Elkana Buhbot, Rom Breslavsky, David Avitar, Eitan Horn, Maxim Harkin, Nimrod Cohen, Segev Kalfon, Matan Tsengauker, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, and Bar Kuperstein. Authorities stated that the families of all returnees had been notified and would be fully supported throughout their recovery and reintegration process.
“The Israeli government, the security establishment, and the Directorate of Abductees, Missing Persons and Returnees will accompany them and their families through every stage of their rehabilitation,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
As part of the exchange, Palestinian prisoners were also released from Israeli detention and are now en route to Gaza, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office. The move has sparked cautious optimism among observers that both sides are willing to make difficult concessions in pursuit of stability.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, some displaced residents are beginning to return home, facing the immense task of rebuilding in the wake of what human rights groups have described as a brutal two-year Israeli campaign against Hamas. Entire neighborhoods lie in ruins, and humanitarian agencies warn that the territory’s infrastructure has been pushed to the brink of collapse.
Trump’s arrival in Israel was greeted with a symbolic message from the control tower at Ben Gurion Airport. “Welcome to the State of Israel, Mr. President,” the message read, according to the White House. “Your visit carries deep meaning for people in this time. Thank you for your friendship and the unbreakable bond between our nations. God bless America and God bless Israel.”
The convergence of Trump’s visit, the final hostage release, and the prisoner exchange has created a rare moment of political and diplomatic momentum. Still, with no formal peace agreement signed yet, many regional analysts remain wary of overestimating the durability of the current ceasefire.
Netanyahu, however, has framed the events as evidence of “unprecedented coordination” between Israel and its allies, particularly the United States, in resolving the hostage crisis and opening the door to future agreements.
As the region watches closely, hopes are rising though tempered by years of war and failed negotiations that this moment could mark the beginning of a fragile but meaningful path toward peace.
