Israeli media reported that two left-wing MPs were escorted from the parliament with signs calling for recognition of Palestine
Trump’s historic Middle East speech interrupted by protesters
TV footage showed Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif being escorted out by security guards after they shouted in Hebrew at Trump, who was addressing parliament hours after the release of all 20 hostages.
The pair were holding signs calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Wild celebrations erupted in Tel Aviv as the US president arrived to a hero’s welcome, with Knesset speaker Amir Ohana declaring Trump a “giant” of Jewish history.
“This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
Trump will greet the families of the hostages in Jerusalem before flying to a “peace summit” in Egypt’s Sharm-el Sheikh, where his ceasefire deal will be signed.
Seven hostages were released early this morning and have crossed the border into Israel, where they will be reunited with their families and taken for checks in hospital.
Hours later, the remaining 13 hostages were transferred from Hamas to the Red Cross, and then into the hands of the Israeli military, who is now taking them out of Gaza.
It brings an end to an agonising two-year wait for the families and friends of the hostages.
In Israel, the bodies of 28 dead hostages still remain. They are due to be freed during this phase of the ceasefire, but it is unclear exactly when this will take place.
You can read the names and details of all the hostages who have been freed here.
Maga-style baseball caps have been handed out in the Israeli Knesset as Donald Trump prepares to receive a hero’s welcome from Israeli parliamentarians.
“Trump The Peace President,” the red caps read.
The Israeli military has confirmed that a second group of 13 Israeli hostages has been handed over to the Red Cross.
They are on their way to a site in the Gaza Strip where the military will take over to transfer them into Israel.
A boy displays a leaflet dropped by an Israeli drone near Ofer Prison, where Palestinian prisoners are set to be released, in the West Bank city of Beitunia. It reads: “We are watching you everywhere. If you express any support for or affiliation with a terrorist organization, you will expose yourself to arrest and severe penalties. You have been warned.” A new beginning’: Trump signs book in the Knesset
Donald Trump has hailed a “new beginning” as he signed a visitors book in the Israeli Knesset, shortly before addressing parliamentarians.
“This is my great honor,” he wrote.
“A great and beautiful day. A new beginning.”
Reporting in The Independent by Bel Trew in Tel Aviv and Rateb Qaissy outside Ofer Prison, occupied West Bank.
Outside an Israeli prison in the occupied West Bank, and at a gathering point central Ramallah, anxious Palestinian families anticipated the release of their relatives.
According to the deal, nearly 2000 Palestinians detainees were due to be released on Monday – including 250 serving life sentences, and 1700 Palestinians from Gaza who have been detained since 7 October 2023, among them 22 children. Israel is also due to hand over the remains of 350 Palestinians they have been holding since 2023.
By Ofer prison Israeli drones dropped leaflets warning family members and supporters against expressing any “support of affiliation to a terrorist organisation” adding ominously “we are watching you everywhere”.
In central Ramallah at a gathering point, relatives, supporters and members of Palestinians security forces waited for news of the buses.
Families of those slated to be released told The Independent of confusion and a lack of information surrounding the release – particularly amid reports in Israeli media that 135 of life-sentence prisoners will not be permitted to return to their families but will be “deported”.
Al Jazeera also reported that Israel imposed travel bans on 100 relatives of the prisoners, effectively separating them from their released relatives. Palestinian families told The Independent soldiers raided the homes of relatives on the eve of their release, warning them not to celebrate.
According to the Israeli prison service there are more than 11,000 Palestinians in Israeli detention. Israeli rights group HaMoked says 87 percent have never been charged or convicted in a court.