Gaza hostage release: All October 7 hostages released by Hamas; Trump lands in Israel, speaks at Israeli parliament

This is where we end our live reporting of today’s historic events involving the return of the 20 living hostages held in Gaza for more than two years in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Here’s a recap of the key moments from our coverage.

• The release of the hostages began just after 8am local time (4pm AEDT). The first seven hostages were transferred by Hamas into the care of Red Cross personnel, then handed over to the Israeli Defence Force.
• The second cohort of 13 surviving hostages was delivered about two hours later, while the released Palestinian prisoners boarded buses at Israeli prisons as agreed under the terms of the ceasefire.
• US President Donald Trump, who has received global recognition for his role in bringing about the ceasefire, touched down in Israel just before 10am local time (6pm AEDT).

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli parliamentarians used the opportunity to hit out at other nations who criticised Israel’s military campaign. Trump’s long-awaited speech before the Knesset was interrupted by two MPs calling for Palestinian recognition.
• Trump told the Knesset that Israel had entered a “golden” age, and had triumphed with the use of US weapons, but also delivered a backhanded gesture to Netanyahu over the drawn-out nature of the conflict.
• In a moment of controversy, Trump also used his time at podium to urge Israeli president Isaac Herzog to pardon the “popular” Netanyahu, who is facing corruption charges.
• Trump is now set to head to Cairo, where he will attend an international summit celebrating peace in the region.

Thank you for joining us. We will bring you more live coverage on Tuesday.

The likely release time – while not yet confirmed – is starting to become clearer. Here’s what we know.

• The deadline is midday on Monday, Israel time, which is 8pm AEDT, but the expectation has been that hostages would be released earlier.
• Israeli media is reporting that the release is expected to begin at 8am, Israel time – 4pm AEDT – from the Gaza Netzarim corridor and continue at 10am (6pm AEDT) in Gaza’s Khan Younis.
• The London Telegraph earlier reported possible delays amid last minute haggling over which Palestinian prisoners would – and would not – be released.
• US President Donald Trump, who is now in the air aboard Air Force One heading to the Middle East for the hostage release, is expected to arrive just after 9am Israel time (5pm AEDT). As he left the US, he indicated the living hostages might be released “a little bit early” – without providing specifics.

• Hundreds of Israelis began to gather pre-dawn in Hostages Square – as the central plaza outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art has become known – to wait for the release.
• Hamas will release all 20 living hostages to the Red Cross. The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli authorities were expecting to receive hostages from three locations – Gaza City, central Gaza, and Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
• An international taskforce will start working to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s co-ordinator for the hostages and the missing. “The reality is, some of the hostages we may never get back,” US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News.

• After the hostages are freed, Israel will release about 2000 Palestinian detainees and receive the 28 hostages who are believed to be dead. The timing has not been announced for the release of Palestinian prisoners. They include 250 people serving life sentences and 1700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge.

Israeli authorities have finalised the release of all 1,968 Palestinian prisoners as part of the exchange for the 20 remaining living hostages to Israel.

In a very public, backhanded gesture, Donald Trump has told Benjamin Netanyahu he will be remembered “far more” for agreeing to the ceasefire “than if you kept this thing, going, going”.

Trump has been widely seen as forcing Netanyahu to end Israel’s campaign against Hamas after more than two years of war in which large swathes of Gaza have been levelled, and tens of thousands of Palestinians killed.

The timing of this is brilliant. And I said, ‘Bibi, you’re going to be remembered for this far more than if you kept this thing, going, going, going, kill, kill.’ It would not be the same. And I just want to congratulate you for having the courage to say that’s it. We’ve won. And now let’s enjoy our lives, and let’s rebuild Israel and make it stronger and bigger and better than it’s ever been before.”

Donald Trump has touted himself as a peacemaker, repeating his claim of having ended eight wars with the inclusion of the Gaza ceasefire.

In his long-winded speech to the Knesset, Trump said that while “everyone thought I was going to be brutal ... my personality is actually all about stopping wars”.

Trump then went on to say the US made “the best weapons in the world”.

“And we’ve got a lot of them, and we’ve given a lot to Israel, frankly. And I mean, Bibi would call me so many times: ‘Can you get me this weapon, that weapon, that weapon?’ Some of them I never heard of.

“They are the best and you used them well. It also takes people that know how to use them, and you obviously used them very well ... which ultimately led to peace. That’s what led to peace.”

London: Donald Trump has now taken the stage.

The speaker of the Knesset, Amir Ohana, prepared for the visitor’s address with a light-hearted remark. In his introduction, Ohana not only called Trump a new Cyrus the Great – and ancient leader venerated for liberating the Jews – but he praised him for opposing statehood for Palestine at the United Nations last month.

Trump famously rebuked the UN for failures with his teleprompter and an escalator.

Ohana had a quip prepared.

“By the way, President Trump, your team has checked the teleprompter and it is working beautifully.”

That drew laughs. It also highlighted the way this event is such a confirmation of the bonds between Israel and Trump.