Gaza ceasefire live: Israelis and Palestinians celebrate hostage and detainee releases as key truce issues remain
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Gaza ceasefire live: Israelis and Palestinians celebrate hostage and detainee releases as key truce issues remain
"Hamas released the remaining 20 living hostages in Gaza on Monday as part of a swap deal for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees in a rare moment of joy among Israelis and Palestinians. World leaders from more than 20 countries later met in Egypt at a summit co-chaired by Donald Trump and Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to try to ensure the limited truce is extended into a durable peace."
"The US president signed a joint declaration with the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey intended to turn the ceasefire into a coherent peace plan, amid widespread anxiety over how long the truce will last. Representatives from Israel and Hamas were absent from the signing ceremony. In Israel, Trump addressed the Knesset (parliament) earlier on Monday, urging lawmakers to seize a chance for broader peace in the region and saying a long nightmare for both Israelis and Palestinians was over."
"In Tel Aviv an estimated 65,000 Israelis in Hostages Square cheered when a military helicopter carrying the 20 freed Israelis flew overhead en route to hospital. Live footage of their release and family reunions was broadcast at the square. The bodies of four hostages held in Gaza and handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas on Monday were brought back to Israel, the army said."
Israel and Hamas completed an initial step of a US-brokered ceasefire by exchanging hostages and detainees, raising hopes of ending the two-year war. Hamas freed the remaining 20 living hostages in Gaza in a swap for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, while four deceased hostages were returned to Israel. Tens of thousands of Israelis celebrated in Tel Aviv, and large crowds gathered in Khan Younis for the release of nearly 1,700 Palestinians. More than 20 world leaders met in Egypt at a summit co-chaired by Donald Trump and Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to try to extend the truce into a durable peace. A joint declaration with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey aimed to turn the ceasefire into a coherent peace plan, but key issues such as Hamas disarmament and Gaza governance remain unresolved.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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