BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas released seven hostages into the custody of the Red Cross on Monday, the first to be released as part

Trump is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday, where he will address the Israeli parliament and hopes to meet hostages.

Israel and Hamas are expected to exchange hostages and prisoners as part of phase one of Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza.

The deal has raised hopes for ending the Israel-Hamas war, with all the remaining hostages taken set to be released within days.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza were starting to walk north to return to their homes Friday, after the Israeli military said the ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect at noon local time and that its soldiers were withdrawing to the agreed-upon deployment lines.

The Palestinian Authority is ready to work with U.S. President Donald Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on their effort to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire and start rebuilding, a senior Palestinian official told Blair on Sunday.

President Trump arrived in Israel as Hamas started releasing hostages under the Gaza peace deal brokered by the U.S. leader.

Sources say the 28-year-old was killed by members of Israel-linked ‘militia’ fighting Hamas in the Sabra neighbourhood.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. The war has also caused vast destruction, displacement and devastation in Gaza, forcing weary families to repeatedly move and giving rise to images of children hollowed out by hunger.

The Israeli military says it has partially withdrawn troops from parts of Gaza after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday morning. Israeli forces said they had pulled back to an agreed position within the territory - though troops still occupy half of the Strip.