Gaza latest: Donald Trump in Israel as Hamas releases 20 remaining living hostages

Sir Keir Starmer is set to call for the momentum of the ceasefire agreement as he attends a summit on Monday.

Hamas has released all 20 remaining living hostages as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummelled the Gaza Strip, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians.

The releases came as American president Donald Trump was in Israel to celebrate the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, an agreement that he declared had effectively ended the war and opened the door to building a durable peace in the Middle East.

Under the deal, Israel will release more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and allow food and aid supplies into Gaza. Hamas released 13 remaining living hostages to Red Cross officials on Monday, the Israeli military said.

Seven of the hostages were released earlier on Monday, while the remaining 13 were freed a few hours later.

The 20, all men, are being reunited with their families and expected to undergo medical checks.

The release comes as Sir Keir Starmer is set to call for the momentum of the ceasefire agreement brokered by Donald Trump to be seized to secure lasting peace in Gaza as he attends a summit on Monday.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses the Labour Conference at ACC Liverpool on September 30, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)placeholder image
Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses the Labour Conference at ACC Liverpool on September 30, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The US president and fellow negotiators, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, will sign off the peace plan in Sharm El Sheikh, joined by leaders from more than 20 countries.

The summit, co-hosted by the US leader and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi , comes as part of efforts to secure the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that has been holding since Friday.

Remaining hostages returned to families by Monday morning

The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages were also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.

Meanwhile, two Red Cross buses carrying Palestinian prisoners being released as part of exchange have begun leaving Ofer Prison.

Sir Keir will urge those at the Sharm El Sheikh summit to build on the momentum to bring about the second phase of plans to end the conflict.

He is expected to heap praise on Mr Trump and the diplomatic efforts of the other negotiators, as well as commit the UK to playing a key role in rebuilding Gaza.

People react as they watch the hostage release live stream at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel.placeholder image
People react as they watch the hostage release live stream at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel. | Getty Images

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Mr Trump, who will first travel to Israel to meet with hostage families and address parliament there, said he was "very excited about this moment in time" before Air Force One took off.

He said many in both Israel and Arab countries were "cheering" the agreement and that "everybody's amazed and they're thrilled and we're going to have an amazing time".

Speaking to reporters while in the air, Mr Trump deemed the conflict "over", adding: "I think people are tired of it."

He also said he hoped to one day visit Gaza , telling travelling reporters: "I'd like to put my feet on it, at least."

Sir Keir Starmer says UK will ‘ensure full implementation’ of peace plan

Sir Keir will say: "We stand determined to seize this opportunity to deliver a lasting peace and a stable, secure future for the whole region.

"Today is the first, crucial phase of ending this war and now we must deliver the second phase, in full.

"The UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides can rebuild their lives in safety and security."

National security adviser Jonathan Powell has been speaking to Mr Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff almost daily, it is understood.

After the UK last month confirmed recognition of Palestinian statehood - without Hamas leadership - Sir Keir is understood to want to draw on the Northern Ireland peace process as talks move towards "decommissioning" Hamas .

A suggestion from one of his Cabinet ministers on Sunday that the UK played a "key role" in securing the Gaza ceasefire was roundly rejected by top US and Israeli figures, which could prove awkward for Sir Keir.

US ambassador to Israel , Mike Huckabee , called Bridget Phillipson's comments "delusional", while Benjamin Netanyahu's deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel , rejected her characterisation of the UK's role.

Sir Keir will also announce a £20 million humanitarian aid package for Gaza as the UK is set to host a three-day conference on Gaza's recovery and reconstruction.

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PA

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Gaza has been completely devastated. The ceasefire gives us the opportunity not just to urgently scale up humanitarian efforts but also to look to the future of Gaza's recovery. Rubble must be cleared, infrastructure repaired, healthcare restored and homes rebuilt."

The 20-point plan set out by the US President calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza along its border with Israel.

An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside the enclave.

The Israeli military has said it will continue to operate defensively from the roughly 50% of Gaza it still controls after pulling back to the agreed-upon lines.

There are no plans to send British troops to be part of the multinational force that will monitor the truce.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Sir Tony Blair , who was poised to potentially join a "Board of Peace" supervising governance of Gaza under the plans, met the deputy chief of the Palestinian Authority on Sunday.

Mr Trump was asked whether he had spoken with Sir Tony about the possibility of his involvement in the peace plan.

As he travelled to the Middle East , the US president told reporters: "I have, but first I want to find out that Tony would be popular with all, because I just don't know that.

"I like Tony, I have always liked Tony. But I want to find out that he is an acceptable choice to everybody."

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