World leaders sign Gaza peace deal in Egypt as hostages, prisoners return home

As a ceasefire deal in the Israel-Hamas war makes it through a fifth day, a number of world leaders arrived in Egypt Monday to attend the signing of the Middle East peace plan.

The ceasefire paused the two-year-long war that killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

As part of the agreement’s first phase, the 20 remaining living hostages in Gaza have been freed, and the release of Palestinian prisoners is underway.

Crowds in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square cheered and sang, as the remaining living hostages in Gaza were released, just over two years after the Israel-Hamas war began.

The bodies of 28 deceased hostages are still in Gaza, but are intended to be returned by Hamas as part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

Hamas returned four coffins Monday afternoon, with the remains of dead hostages, to Israeli forces.

A video from the Israeli police reportedly shows a police convoy carrying the coffins into the country.

Israel has not confirmed the identities of the remains being returned.

Also as part of the deal, the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving long, and life-sentences got underway, along with the release of over 1,700 Palestinian detainees held by Israel without charge.

Prime Minister Mark Carney called the hostage release “a moment of profound relief,” and thanked the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for bringing the ceasefire to fruition.

Carney is among other world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who traveled to Egypt Monday to attend the signing of a Middle East peace plan.

Before heading to Egypt, Trump spoke for over an hour in his address to Israel’s parliament, where he called for a new era in the Middle East, and said dawn was breaking on “a region transformed.”

“This is now a very exciting time for Israel and for the entire Middle East, because all across the Middle East, the forces of chaos, terror, and ruin that have plagued the region for decades now stand weakened, isolated, and totally defeated,” said Trump.

Trump also suggested that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, should be pardoned for corruption charges he’s faced since 2019.

“Hey, I have an idea. Mr. President, why don’t you give him a pardon? Give him a pardon,” said Trump.

While many across the Middle East — and the rest of the world — are thankful a peace plan is finally being brokered, the 20-point plan proposed by President Trump appears to be short on details in several areas.

It’s not made entirely clear who will govern a post-war Gaza, what commitments are being made to a Palestinian state, and whether Hamas will disarm.

Despite a ceasefire having been agreed upon, the death toll in Gaza continues to rise.

Search teams continue to recover bodies buried under rubble, and Gazan hospitals have reported 323 people dead in the past three days.

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