Hamas announced it will begin releasing Israeli hostages held in Gaza on Monday morning, hours before a U.S.-led international peace summit convenes in Egypt to address the region's escalating tensions. The move forms part of a negotiated prisoner exchange deal involving 20 living captives and nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees.
"The prisoner exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed," Hamas official Osama Hamdan confirmed to AFP on Saturday. The release precedes a high-stakes summit chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Sharm el-Sheikh, attended by over 20 countries including Britain, France, Italy, and Spain.
The Egyptian presidency stated the summit aims to "end the war in Gaza, enhance Middle East peace efforts, and establish regional security." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and European leaders are expected to participate, though Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not confirmed attendance. Hamas political bureau member Hossam Badran emphasized the group would not join directly, relying instead on Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
While the hostage release marks progress, challenges remain in securing a lasting political resolution. The Trump administration's proposed plan includes a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, replaced by a multinational security force from Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the UAE, coordinated through a U.S.-led command center in Israel. Analysts caution that Hamas's role in governance and disarmament negotiations could complicate implementation.
