The bodies of 13 deceased hostages are believed to still be in Gaza.
U.S. officials -- including Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner -- traveled to Israel this week for high-level meetings, discussing the next steps in the delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire deal by withholding the bodies of the remaining 13 deceased hostages thought to have died during or after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas has said the return of the remaining bodies "may take some time" due to the destruction.
Released Palestinian prisoners were greeted by massive, jubilant crowds -- with people held back by law enforcement -- as they exited Red Cross busses in the city of Ramallah in the West Bank.
President Donald Trump will say in his speech to Israel’s Knesset on Monday, “Israel has won all that can be won by force of arms. Now, it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”
As Gaza heads forward, Trump will say, “The total focus of Gazans must be on restoring the fundamentals of stability, safety, dignity, and economic development, so they can finally have the better life their children deserve.”
A Hamas spokesperson in a statement said the militant group welcomed Trump's address in Jerusalem, saying that "all mediators and international parties" should continue monitoring "to ensure that [Israel's] aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip is not resumed.
Some of the freed Israeli hostages are headed to hospitals to reunite with the rest of their family members and get continued medical treatment, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said.
The final 13 released hostages have crossed the border into Israeli territory and are headed to reunite with their families, Israeli officials said.
