Israel and Hamas exchanged the release of hostages and prisoners on Monday, coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel, as part of the first phase of the Gaza prisoner exchange agreement.

Israel released 1,968 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,718 from Gaza, while Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, released all 20 living Israeli hostages and four bodies of Israeli dead. The Israeli Defense Minister considered Hamas’ delay in handing over the bodies a breach of the agreement.

The freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah to a large popular reception, while others were transferred to Egypt. The Al-Qassam Brigades began handing over Israeli prisoners to the Red Cross in Gaza, and the bodies of the deceased were delivered to the International Committee of the Red Cross for transfer to Israel.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the European Union, Germany, and Canada welcomed the releases, viewing them as an important step towards peace. Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 67,869 deaths and 170,105 injuries since the Israeli war began on October 7, 2023.

Additionally, Hamas security forces killed 32 gang members in Gaza during a campaign following the ceasefire, with six security personnel killed during the operations.